


Heros Fall

by Tsubaki94



Series: I am Danny Phantom through it all [15]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Death, Fire, Gen, Origin Story, Pain, School Boming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-04-11 16:35:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 32,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19113556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsubaki94/pseuds/Tsubaki94
Summary: Everything goes wrong. From the very begining nothing was meant to go his way and now his worst nightmares comes true and Danny is powerless to stop ut.





	1. Prologue

Stumbling back Danny grabbed on to the nearest wall pressing his hand against his throbbing head. The wail had taken everything out of him leaving him lightheaded and still halfway between his human and ghost form. Cursing Danny tried and failed to even manifest the rings that changed his appearance.

Casting about for the machine that had forced him to change Danny saw his hopes disappear with the sight of the broken ecto-stopper-o-fire. The stupid invention his dad had made that Vlad had stolen months earlier and used to force Danny to change in order to get what he needed for his clones, was smoking. The wail had broken it together with nearly everything in the clone lab.

Hearing a moan coming from under the rubble where Danny had last seen Vlad before the roof fell in. He bared his teeth’s in a snarl and stomped over to the emerging man grabbing a hold of his front collar and slamming him up against the wall. “I should tear you apart.” Growled Danny his voice deep, cold and gravely from the screaming.

Vlad looked down his nose at Danny. “I gave you the chance but you didn’t take it.” He said and Danny felt the hair on his arms rise. There was an odd quiver in his chest as the rings of black light encircled Vlad. “Now I am going to have you no matter what.”

He changed and grabbed Danny’s already damaged throat lifting him of his feet’s. Chocking Danny tried to go intangible to avoid the trouble of breathing only his powers slipped through his fingers. The fear that had been contained under his anger suddenly took over and Danny twisted and managed to get out of Vlad’s grip.

Without thinking Danny threw himself in to the air and flew out of the open hole in the roof shooting off in to the clear sky. He managed to get away, Vlad apparently didn’t want to follow him and Danny was about to calm down when he felt gravity get a hold of him and he crashed in to the side of a tall building. Instinctively he tried to grab on to the wall slowing his fall landing on the ground sending jolts of pain up his body reminding him of the injuries.

Laying on the ground half curled in to a ball Danny breathed. He felt like Vlad had betrayed him when he knew that was what the man did best. He should have known that Vlad would screw him over, the call to CPS had just been a ploy to avoid a fight. He had drugged him and stuck him in a cloning chamber, tortured him worse than the actual torturer had and then.

Remembering the feeling of something breaking inside him Danny tried to draw on his ghost powers feeling them once more slip through his fingers like sand. That’s when it dawned on him that he couldn’t go home looking like a freak combination between human and ghost, even if he’d already been that before.

Looking around where he was Danny pushed himself up of the ground hugging his throbbing side. The Manson house was only one block away, he could hold on to his powers until he got there, he had to. Turning himself invisible took a lot of his concentration and he started walking in the direction of his friends home. His right boot caught on an elevated stone in the pavement and he flung out a hand catching himself before hitting the sidewalk.

Letting out a strained string of curses Danny pushed himself up on his feet and checked again to make sure that he was still invisible. The only thing missing to make that day worse was turning visible in the middle of a well trafficked neighborhood accidentally revealing his secret for the whole world to see. Only this time he wouldn’t be able to run away like he had during the Reality Trip, what he wouldn’t give to have the reality gauntlet back.

By the time he reached the Manson house, he was shaking and couldn’t see straight. Feeling like he was burning up inside he didn’t bother knocking on the front door but walked through it. Apparently that was the end of his powers and he lost both his intangibility and invisibility with a sizzling sound that washed over him. He froze for a moment on the other side of the immaculate door listening to the sounds of the house.

There was two people in the kitchen, the soft clink of two teacups on saucers could be heard from that direction. He heard the unmistakable buzz coming from Sam’s grandmas scooter down in the cellar and a low base beat coming from Sam’s room upstairs. With his heart racing out of control Danny crept past the kitchen door and snuck up stairs careful not to make any sound that might be heard by human ears.

Upstairs it was just a short walk over to Sam’s dark door. He knocked once and leaned against it trying to catch his breath as he heard Sam move around on the other side. “Give me a minute mom!” she called her light feet crossing the room. Danny tried the door handle but in typical Sam fashion it was locked. “Geee can’t a girl get dressed in peace!”

“Sam.” Hissed Danny trying to sound over the playing music on the other end without being heard by the people in the kitchen. He gave another knock and heard the girl let out an exasperated sigh on the other side. Danny’s eyelids felt heavy and he heard someone fiddle with the door handle as he closed his eyes and could remember falling but not hitting the thick carpet on the floor.

For a moment Danny had thought he was back in Peabody’s torture chamber, he tired wriggling out of the restraints pulling at them with all his strength. When the man’s face appeared on the other side of the glass he’d lashed out showing his teeth in a bestial snarl. Of course, it had been Vlad on the other side of the glass smirking at him.

The man had started talking in his typical Villain fasion, explaining how he had tried to get Danny to come over to his side by caring for him, giving him everything his parents couldn’t He was angry because Danny kept rejection him and he was going to do what he should have done from the beginning.

Danny had realized that he wasn’t in Peabody’s cellar but in Vlad’s rebuild clone lab. “This didn’t work the last time you tried what makes you think it’s going to work this time?” asked Danny trying to center himself and prepare for the pain that would come as soon as Vlad flipped that switch.

“Because my dear boy, this time I’ve got one of your idiot father’s inventions to help me.” Mused Vlad pointing at a big ugly canon like machine. The Ecto-Stoppo-Power-o-fier looked like it had gotten an upgrade since Vlad’s vulture ghosts stole it that Fall. “Now this might hurt.” Grinned Vlad flicking the switch.

 

Danny woke with a start as if someone had sent a jolt of electricity through his body. He sat bolt upright and looked around, his heart beating hard against his chest and the instinct to run making it harder to take in his surroundings. “Wow you’re awake.” Said Sam beside him and he blinked a couple of times taking in the mess of Sam’s room.

They were sitting on the floor just inside of Sam’s room. She was wearing a t-shirt and her favorite shorts, her hair falling loosely around her face. “Tam.” Croaked Danny wincing at the pain in his throat.

Sam gave him an insecure smile. “Yeah, are you alright?” she asked but it was clear to the both of them that he wasn’t. Apart from him collapsing right outside her door his appearance was not what ether of them expected. His suit looked more like Danielle’s, only one sleeve was shorter than the other and he had a short white glove on the other side where the sleeve went all the way down. The collar of his suit was a simple V-neck and the Dumpty Humpy Logo that had been on his t-shirt blended in with the DP from his ghost form. The utility belt looked like a computer glitch and Danny’s memories flashed on the grenade that had let him escape, the rest of the gear he had on it didn’t look like it could be salvageable. His boots had turned back in to a pair of sneakers and the right pants leg was wider than the left.

“I don’t know.” Answered Danny honestly running his shaking hand through his hair. “I can’t turn back Sam, I’m stuck.” He said not sure how he was going to sell the new hair color to his parents.

“What happened?” asked Sam her eyes taking in all of his appearance, from the odd colored eyes to the blood that was staining the left side of his suit.

“Vlad.” Sighed Danny following Sam’s gaze, he pressed his hand to his side trying to draw on his ice core to stem the bleeding and numb the pain, but nothing happened. He couldn’t even change his own body temperature any more, something that he’d been able to do ever since gaining control over his ice core.

“How did Vlad do this to you?” asked Sam getting up and grabbing her school bag from where she’d thrown it on the floor.

“You remember when he created clones of me?” Sam nodded brining out her first aid kit. “Well he got his lab up and running and.” He waved at his appearance. “I can’t explain what really happened, it was like something broke when he was forcing me to go ghost and I was trying not to.”

Brining out her safety scissors Sam cut away at his suit to get at the bleeding wound. “We should try and use the same machine as he did to fix this.” She said as if it was that simple.

“I destroyed it together with the lab.” Said Danny mater of fractally. Sam gave him a look asking herself if he was stupid. “I didn’t mean to, I lost control.” He explained but really it was just a bad excuse. He’d wanted to destroy the machine that hurt him and everything in sight, just like he destroyed Peabody’s prison.

“It’s okay, we’ll figure something out.” Sighed Sam wrinkling her nose at the popped stitches in his abdomen. She had him turn to get a look at his back and her eyebrows knitted together. “Danny, What made this?” she asked getting the needle and thread from her first aid kit.

Staring at her Danny suddenly realized that he hadn’t spoken to anyone apart from Danielle of what had happened, he didn’t have a phone any more and hadn’t thought of contacting his friends at all. “You want the long or the short story?” Asked Danny staying completely still as she stuck the needle in to his skin.

“Something in between thanks, and also tell me it includes a reason to why we haven’t heard from you since school yesterday?” Muttered Sam her eyes focused on her work, beads of sweat rolling down the sides of her face.

“Umm. I’m not sure how to begin.” Hissed Danny as Sam tugged at his skin. “Cody sort of showed up at school yesterday and I went after him. It turned out he was possessed.” Sam’s eyes flickered up to Danny’s face and then went back to her work and Danny supposed he could just as well drop the bomb. “By Jack the Ripper.”

Her hands stopped, the needle an inch from his skin. She lifted her eyes and Danny pulled up the suit to show her the scar from Chicago where the Ripper had once before stabbed him. “Tell me you got him?” asked Sam seeing the similarities between the old scar and new wound.

“I got him.” Said Danny a feeling of accomplishment washing over him. There would be no more looking over his shoulder thinking The Ripper could come out at any moment murdering people. Thou thinking of what he had said Danny realized that The Ripper had come after him before he even knew he was free. “Dash was right when he said Cody attacked us in school.” He said meeting Sam’s eyes.

The wrinkle between her eyebrows deepened as she had Danny turn around so she could get at his back. “But if that is true how come there hasn’t been a tone of murders this time. He drew attention to himself that way in Chicago both times.”

Biting his lip Danny thought about it. “He said that Cody took back control over his body, Crap that ass is actually strong enough to hold his own against a ghost I couldn’t even push out of my own headspace.” He pressed a hand against his head wincing at the pain in his right wrist and ignoring it.

“He was the one who hurt Danielle wasn’t he?” Asked Sam her voice cold.

“The Ripper? Yeah, he was.” Shaking his head Danny tried to put it out of his mind. “Well we don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

“No we don’t.” Agreed Sam finishing her work. “We need to worry about what we are going to do about this situation.” She waved a hand at his face and Danny had to agree, his current situation was much worse than some murderous ghost possessing people. If he showed himself to his parents looking like this he was going to be strapped to a table in the basement and turned in to their next experiment and he had had enough of that.

Looking over his shoulder at Sam Danny could see her thinking. “What have you got in mind?” he asked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, sorry for not updating last week, it was a bit crazy with the end of school and all. Anyhow here's another chapter please enjoy.

Coming to a halt at the entrance to the alley Danny stooped down and grabbed the skateboard running in to the less trafficked alley between two high buildings. It wasn’t the safest way for him to go, but it would lead Skulker away from innocent bystanders. The sound of a rocket being fired told him Skulker had followed and Danny jumped to the side before the rocket hit him.

He’d long ago learned the hunters tricks and wasn’t surprised when the small rocket blew up a meter in front of him pushing Danny back and knocking the air out of his lungs. “Arse.” Swore Danny getting back up on his feet’s running again before he even got his balance back. “Hey Val I could really use your assistance here!” he called in to the mic of his Fenton Headphones.

There was a sound of firing weapons on the other end followed by screams. “Sorry Danny, however much I love the sound of you begging for my help I’ve got my hand full here with this bear thingy:” Shouted Valeri back followed by another sound of firing guns.

“It’s a platypus-bear! How hard can it be.” Shouted Danny in annoyance feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise in time to warn him of the coming ecto-blast. He jumped to the side hitting a dumpster the sparkling energy of the charged ectoplasm zipping past him. “Bloody- Would you stop aiming for my back!” shouted Danny up at the ghost ignoring the pain in his side from hitting the dumpster he set off running again, staying put was a death sentence. “Val!” he called in to the mic.

“Busy!” answered the girl, an annoyed tone in her voice.

“It’s a platypus-bear how are you missing it, it got short limbs, a duckface, normal ghost powers and is a huge fucking target!” He should stop shouting and concentrate on breathing, he was already winded from his mad run, but he had to say something.

“It’s hiding in the crowd dummy, do you want me to hurt humans as well?! Call Sam or Tucker for support I have my hands full!” He could hear Valeri fire again and people crying out in fear.

“I’d love to.” Growled Danny taking a sharp turn to his right heading down a crossing alley. “But Sam got stuck with her mom this afternoon, She couldn’t get out of it even if she wanted.” Not that she didn’t want to spend an hour at the hair dresser getting her hair cut as it had gotten to long for her taste. “And Tucker got stuck in detention for me.” He added jumping over a couple of boxes someone had left out.

“Then stay alive long enough for me to get to you!” Snapped Valeri and the bestial roar on the other end of the line made Danny miss his Wail, being able to return a howling shout whenever a ghost tried to intimidate him with their roars was one of the best things with that power.

“What do you think I’m doing!” There was a fence up ahead stopping foot traffic through the alley. He could hear Skulker’s jet engines behind him letting him know that there was no turning back. His eyes moved around his surrounding and he set his jaw. There was no way out and he couldn’t hesitate.

Skulker’s next ecto-blast sipped past Danny’s side making the hair’s on his arms stand on end, he jumped off the ground, slamming his palms down on the lid of the dumpster Danny jumped up on it, praying that the breaks were on as he flung himself over the gap to the fence. He grabbed hold of the top pipe and swung his legs up and over the fence in a fluid motion that made him feel graceful in the air for a moment. The landing on the other hand was crappy, they always were and he went sprawling on the stinking concrete.

A part of him wanted to stay down, catch his breath and just rest his weary body. Another part, the one in charge reminded him that the ground wasn’t his friend and that he’d die if he stayed down. Pushing himself up Danny set off again only this time the Ghost had gotten ahead of him and pointed a canon straight at his face.

Danny halted and slowly began backing up. “Nice canon Skulker, you overcompensating for something smaller!” he geared and the ghost made an animal like sound firing.

Diving forward Danny grabbed at his backpack, tucking in to a perfect roll before coming up on his feet running low under Skulker in an attempt at getting away. “Don’t think so whelp!” Sneered Skulker swinging two ecto balls connected with a rope at Danny. The trap tangled in his ankles and Danny hit the ground for a second time that afternoon.

“Bollocks.” He rolled over on to his back as the ghost descended

“Ha ha, I finally have you whelp, who’s overcompensating now!” Grinned Skulker pointing a ecto-gun at him.

“I give you this, you got some big balls, but you still can’t take me on in a fair fight.” Smiled Danny holding up the remote control on his keychain. Skulker blinked at it and Danny flipped the switch. It wasn’t before then that Skulker noticed the thermos Danny had planted under him and by then it was too late. The remote controlled thermos sucked Skulker up before he could make another sound and Danny flopped back on to the ground breathing hard, the aches of his body making themselves known.

“Alright I got the whatever-bear, where are you!” shouted Valeri in his headphones and Danny wanted to start laughing.

“Trapped Skulker.” He breathed. The sweet rotting reek of the alley was seeping in to his nose with every heavy breath he took.

“Then why the hell were you shouting at me for!” Asked Valeri trying to sound annoyed but really she wasn’t. She’d agreed to protect Danny if his enemies ever came after him and so far he’d been the one protecting himself eight times out of ten.

“Oh you know it’s always nice to have an audience when I go face planting in to the ground.” Answered Danny falling back on sarcasm.

“You need any help?” asked Valeri. Her offer was meant as a friendly one but Danny hated having to ask her for help fighting ghosts he called small fries. He could swallow his pride while in danger but afterwards he rather be alone and take care of things on his own.

“I call you when I need a hand.” He sighed ending the call and pulling down the headphones. The muted city sounds washing in to his ears, he could hear traffic out on the main road and music coming from one of the apartments, two cats were fighting down the way he’d just come and someone was shouting from an open window. Concentrating on the shouter Danny detriment that he wasn’t the one the guy was talking about and slowly sat up.

He was wearing an old pair of worn jeans, his favorite red convers, a simple gray t-shirt with an Amity Park version of “Keep Calm and…” this one saying “Keep Calm and Stay Ghost.” Tucker had given it to him on his birthday and it was somehow ironic wearing it even if Tucker had meant it as a joke. He wore knee and elbow pads for skateboarding, together with finger less gloves that also had padding for the palms. A week after having lost his powers Danny had invested in the gear and stared using one of his Dad’s idiot inventions for him, the motorized skateboard, that would kill you if you fell of it at max speed.

However dangerous the inventions or stupid the protective gear was Danny had come to realize that he needed them. He couldn’t outrun his enemies on foot and after a week of scraping his hands, knees and elbows on the asphalt he’d decided he rather have the extra protection instead of scraping of his slowly healing skin every day. Thou he said that he didn’t have any powers he still had some, his ghost-sense was one, the hearing another. His ability to heal fast wasn’t like it used to but he still healed faster than a normal human being and he was still inhumanly strong. The reflexes he’d developed over years of ghost fighting hadn’t left him either and sometimes he could even imagen that he floated when jumping out of danger.

Digging in his pockets Danny brought out his pocketknife that his parents had given him on Christmas. The blade was specially made for cutting through ecto-based equipment, like the ones used by Skulker. Freeing his legs Danny got up of the ground and stumbled over to the thermos putting the cap on. Returning the container to his backpack Danny pulled out his skateboard and started for the alley exit.

It had been the eleventh time since Danny lost his powers four weeks earlier that Skulker had attacked him. Other ghosts like Johnny 13 didn’t attack more than once or twice a week, with the exception of the Box-ghost who attacked every other day. Every time Skulker attack he’d set a beast-ghost lose on the people of Amity Park making Valeri fight them while he hunted Danny, sometimes he used the distraction of other ghosts, like the Lunch Lady or Young Blood to come after Danny.

It had come to the point where Danny was considering not sending the ghost back in to the ghost-zone for a while just to get a moment to breath. Thou he knew he shouldn’t be complaining, Valeri had basically taken over all the ghost fighting in Amity Park and even if Danny could support her from the ground the fights took their toll on her in a way Danny recognized. It had gotten so bad that they’d asked Danielle to help patrol during the night so that Valeri could get some sleep.

Coming out on to the crowded side walk Danny dropped his skateboard and set off for home. His parents were still clueless as to any changes, they hadn’t noticed it when he became a half-ghost and they hadn’t even blinked an eye when he became trapped between his two forms unable to use his powers. What they had noticed together with Danny was his big apatite, and the fact that he still mixed things like chocolate sauce in with his food or sweet chilly sauce with anything sweet. Danny was used to eating twice as much as a normal person did, he had blamed it on his ghost powers, but now he eat twice as much as his dad when he could and could still got hungry an hour later.

Weaving through the pedestrians Danny made his way home at a slower pace than his usual flight from school would have been. He could live without most of his ghost powers, sometimes they got him in to trouble or had annoying side effects like the headache he got from duplicating or him being constantly cold from his ice powers. But flying had never had any side effects and he missed the freedom of being up in the sky with no one around for miles. He missed flying above the clouds, watching the stars without the city lights obscuring his vision during the night.

Lost in thought Danny didn’t see the red sign as he crossed the street. It wasn’t before he heard the car horn blaring that he looked up in time to see the big car. “Shite.” He swore.


	3. Chapter 3

“Look before you cross the street, you stupid cunt.” The first numbing hit to his left side knocked the air out of Danny’s lungs and sent him flying and for a moment he felt like he was actually up in the sky high above the busy streets. Then he hit the asphalt and was dimly reminded of all the times he’d ended up eating dirt in a ghost fight, feeling like someone had taken a baseball bat to his skull. Oh yeah there was something called helmets when going around on a skateboard, especially one that could potentially kill you if you weren’t careful.

Blinking Danny tried to focus on what was happening around him. There was a lot of shouting and cars horn blaring, the sun was right in his eyes and he closed them to the stinging light. Hand’s grabbed his shoulders and Danny jerked away his breath catching in his chest at a sharp stab of pain to his back. “Hey easy kid easy.” Said a soft voice, before he shouted “Can someone call an ambulance!”

Danny opened his eyes and looked around at the gathered onlookers. He did not need the attention right now, he didn’t want it. “I’m fine.” He slurred cursing under his breath trying to get up. There was a sharp ringing in his ears that drowned out the man’s next words. “Wha?” he asked.

The man put a gentle hand on Danny’s shoulder trying to stop him from getting up. Whatever he was going to say got lost in the shouted “The Hound of the Baskervilles!” Closing his eyes and pressing a hand to his hurting head Danny sent a silent pray to anyone listening that his teacher hadn’t just seen him get hit by a car.

No such luck, Mr Lancer elbowed his way through the crowd and sank down on his knees to put a hand on Danny’s free shoulder. “Crist boy what happened?” he asked and Danny jerked out of the two men’s grip sitting up with a grimace.

“Got hit by a car.” He muttered his words still slurred a bit.

“You should stay down Daniel, Someone call an ambulance!” Said the teacher raising his voice to address the last bit to the crowd. Danny winced at the sound shooting his teacher a glare.

“Already did, they are on their way.” Said a woman from the crowd and Danny shoot the speaker a nasty look as well.

“It was just a bump, I’m fine.” Muttered Danny blinking a couple of times trying to focus his eyes. The ringing in his ears got louder and when Lancer touched his shoulder again Danny jerked away.

“Daniel,” Said Mr Lancer in a soft voice. “You are bleeding, you are not fine.” The teacher reached for him again but stopped himself.

Frowning at Lancers words Danny ran a hand through his messy hair until he found a tender spot to the right side of his head and his fingers came away red with blood. Blinking a couple of time’s Danny stared at his forearm that hadn’t been protected by anything and the scraped up skin and glistening red blood. “Oh.” He said understanding that Lancer hadn’t meant his head but his arm. “Road rash.” He mused feeling the sting from the injury. It hurt, really really hurt.

“Let’s get off the road.” Said the other man getting to his feet. It wasn’t before then that Danny realized they were in the middle of the street stopping up traffic.

“Weird how you one moment tells me not to move and the next asks me to get up.” Grumbled Danny getting his feet under himself to slowly rise. His head throbs hard and he stumbles a bit.

“Careful.” Warned Mr Lancer grabbing on to Danny’s arm in support. Letting the teacher guide him over to the curb was easier than trying to pull out of his grip and walk on his own without stumbling.

He sank down on the curb and the other guy put his backpack and skateboard beside him. “Thanks.” Sighed Danny pulling the bag towards him. The man said something in response before running over to his car pulling it up on to the sidewalk and out of traffic. He hurried back to Danny who was poking the bump on his head.

“You should call your parents.” Said the man sinking down to sit on his heels. A loud car flew past them, the driver obviously late for something, the sound cutting through Danny’s head like a chainsaw.

Closing his eyes Danny shook his head slowly. “Lancer is already doing that.” He grumbled pointing to the teacher. “What he doesn’t know is that mom and dad is up in the forest around lake Eeri and there’s no reception there.”

Lancer gave Danny an annoyed look hanging up the call when his mom’s voicemail started. “You could have said something.” Grumbled the teacher pocketing his phone.

“You could have asked.” Retorted Danny pressing his hands to his ears as the blaring sound of the ambulance sirens grew nearer. He could hear his teachers concerned voice as he gingerly put a hand on Danny’s shoulder. Getting annoyed at the constant touching Danny pulled away from the teacher hearing the ambulance pull up to the curb.

He didn’t look up when the sirens were turned off, or remove his hands from his ears when the paramedics jumped out. They came over to the three asking what had happened one of them kneeling down in front of Danny to have a look at him.

The man who’d clearly been the driver that hit Danny began speaking. “Kid just walked out-“

“Rolled out.” Corrected Danny lowering his hands. “I was on my skateboard and rolled out without looking.” He said, the thought that the man might think it was his fault that he’d hit Danny occurred to him and he looked up at him. “Sorry.” He sighed.

“It’s okay kid.” Said the medic in front of him. “Can you tell me what happened?” he asked while his partner got the story from the driver and Mr Lancer.

Rolling his eyes Danny rubbed his neck, there was no need for him to lie this time. “I forgot to look when crossing the street. I hit the ground, scraped my arm and that’s it, it’s not like I haven’t hit traffic before.” Okay so maybe he did shorten the story a bit but he didn’t leave any important parts out.

“You sure that’s all?” asked the paramedic getting a nod from Danny. “Did the car hit you?” He nodded again. “Where?”

“Left side.” Sighed Danny not in the mood for 20questions.

“Would you let me have a look?” asked the medic as his friend came over to join him. Danny heard the other guy say something about him hitting his head and Danny shot Lancer a glare as he pulled up his t-shirt. “Tell me if this hurt.” Said the paramedic having pulled on a pair of latex gloves.

He poked Danny’s side counting the ribs getting a wince from Danny when he press the lowest one. He continued down Danny’s side where a large red mark told them where he’d been hit. “Alright,” said the paramedic giving him a soft smile. “Doesn’t look like you broke anything getting hit, did you land on your back?”

Shaking his head Danny pulled down the t-shirt lifting his scraped arm. “Landed on the arm.” He licked his lips.

“And your head I heard.” Said the medic looking the scrape over.

“Only a bump.” Grumbled Danny glaring at Mr Lancer who gave him that teacher look he loved. The man couldn’t leave him alone even after school, how the hell had he been there at the right time in the first place.

“Mind if I have a look?” asked the medic reaching for Danny’s head.

“Yes.” Growled Danny leaning away from the man. “I mind.”

The medic looked taken aback but Danny saw Lancer face-palm. “I’m just going to check for a concussion, it’s nothing harmful.” Explained the man as if Danny was a child and didn’t know what he was doing.

“I don’t have a con-cussion.” Snarled Danny stumbling over the word. The medic opened his mouth and Danny cut him off. “Yes I can know that, this is not the first time I hit my head.”

The two medics blinked at that, “You hit your head often?” the second one asked getting an annoyed eye roll from Danny.

“No, but I am clumsy just ask my teacher over there, he’s the one who banned me from handling fragile things in school.” Retorted Danny waving at Lancer.

“That’s true.” Said the teacher clearing his throat. “You haven’t let that go yet?”

A smile tugged at the corners of Danny’s mouth. “I have, it’s just an good example when people don’t believe me.” He said scratching the back of his neck wincing when he accidentally pressed the bruise.

“Alright, then answer my questions.” Said the medic looking straight in to Danny’s eyes. “You got a headache?”

“Let me roll my eyes at you again and see if I can find my brain.” Sighed Danny wondering how long this was going to take and if he could run off soon. “Yes my head hurts but it’s nothing really.”

“Okay.” Said the first medic while his partner wrote something down on his note pad. “Did you lose consciousness at any point?”

Shaking his head the driver raised his voice. “He wasn’t moving after he got hit. Thought he was dead until I touched him.”

Taking a slow deep breath Danny tried not to get annoyed at the man, he was only trying to help. “Bet you wouldn’t move right away if you got the wind knocked out of you.” Grumbled Danny before returning his attention to the medic asking the questions. “No I did not lose consciousness at any point. That’s not even a clear sigh of concussion it’s just one of the more obvious ones.” He added just to show off.

“Alright I believe you.” Said the medic. “You are clearly not confused ether.” Danny gave him an raised eyebrow. “And you remember what happened, so no Amnesia. Any dizziness?”

Danny shot his teacher a look. “He was a bit unsteady on his feet when he got up of the ground.” The medic gave a nod to Mr Lancer.

“You feeling tired?” he asked.

“Only of these questions.” Responded Danny.

“Sorry, we need to ask. You could always come with us to the hospital and let a doctor ask these same questions.” Said the man and Danny felt a bit more inclined to answer them after that, anything to stay away from the hospital. “Any Nausea?” Danny shook his head eager to be done with the questions. “Your ears ringing?” he shook his head again, a white lie. “Slurred speech?” Danny shook his head and both Lancer and the driver cleared their throats.

“Two words.” Snapped Danny. “That’s not enough to call slurred speech.” His head throbbed at the angry outburst and he rubbed his temple closing his eyes to the onslaught of light and movements around him. The sun had been shining all day and his eyes were tired of it, he preferred the near darkness of night.

There was a beat of silence before the medic spoke. “Would you let me take a look at your head?” he asked gingerly. Finding that it was pointless to resist Danny gave a short nod letting the man run his fingers through his hair finding the lump to the side of Danny’s head. He made a face but didn’t say anything, it was better not to.

The medic had Danny lower his head a bit as he clean away the blood and got a better look. “Scalp wounds always bleed more than one might think.” Said the medic holding a piece of gauze to the wound. He put a finger under Danny’s chin making him raise his head to look the man in the eyes. “Now I don’t think you got a concussion, but the best thing would be for you to have a doctor take a better look.”

“Fat chance.” Snorted Danny. “I’m not going to the hospital for a scratch on the head.”

“Figured you say that.” Smiled the medic. “But I can’t leave you alone. You say you know the symptoms of concussion, then you should also know that the symptoms can come hours even days after the injury. Now I’ve been told your parents are out of contact, is there anyone else you can call?”

Nodding Danny glanced up at Mr Lancer before shaking his head. It was a dumb idea to ask him for help, the man had his own life outside of school, he didn’t have to bother with students after the school day was over. Danny could call his friends and ask them for help, it would be more fun hanging out with Sam or Tucker, even Valeri was good company. But he already asked a lot of them, letting them have their own time was the best to do.

“He can stay with me until his parents gets back.” Said Lancer and Danny blinked up at the man in surprise.

“You are just saying that so you can make sure I finish your homework assignment on time.” Accused Danny lowering his head so that he could hide the slight smile on his lips.

“Yes Daniel, that’s exactly what I had in mind.” Retorted the teacher. He took over the rest of the talking with the medics. One of the medics cleaned out the scratch on Danny’s arm before winding a bandage around the wound commenting that he’d been lucky to have worn the protective gear or he might have been hurt worse.

When the ambulance left, there was less of a crowd around them. Lancer had talked to the driver and the man had left as well. Letting out a sigh the teacher looked down on Danny who was still sitting on the curb his eyes closed hands rubbing his ears. “You lied about there not being any ringing in your ears didn’t you?” Asked the teacher holding out a hand for Danny to get up.

Taking the offered hand Danny got to his feet closing his eyes hard against the pulsing pain in his head. “Yeah, and about having you watch over me.” Grumbled Danny. “I have stuff to do.”

Lancer put his hands on his hips giving Danny that teacher look that told him he would be in big trouble if he didn’t do as told. “Like what?” asked Lancer waiting patiently for Danny to answer. “If you were going to say your friends you could have called them earlier.” Danny bit his lip. “I’m not stopping you from doing your homework.”

Danny rubbed his eyes, the ghost fighting was probably done for the evening and his friends had better things to do. He could always kill time by playing games or wander around town. But all he wanted was to get some rest, have some peace and quiet even. “Whatever.” He sighed glancing up at Lancer. “How come you were even here?”

Pointing up to the windows of an apartment building Lancer smiled. “You made a lot of noise outside my window.” He said. “Come on, I was in the middle of cocking dinner.” He nodded for Danny to come up with him.

Picking up his skateboard and backpack Danny followed Mr Lancer up the stairway to the second floor where the teacher opened the door to apartment B21. It was Danny’s first time being inside Mr Lancer’s home and his first thought of the place was cozy. There were plenty of bookshelf around the apartment, filled with bound leader volumes, old hard cover books and a mix of paper backs littering the shelfs. Heavy rugs covered the floors, soft furniture made for comfortable places to sit and Danny could just imagen sitting curled up in the couch with a good book.

The teacher turned in to the kitchen and Danny followed. Compared to the rest of the apartment the kitchen was tiny with a more modern esthetic. “You can take a seat.” Said Lancer rolling up his sleeves and putting on an apron.

Sitting down at one of the two chairs by the kitchen table Danny looked around with open interest watching Lancer chop up vegetables. After a while Danny closed his eyes listening to the quiet of the apartment. There was a calm there unlike the one he’d gotten to know at home. No hum in the walls from power cables, no explosions coming from below or loud machines working all night.

The sudden loud hiss of Lancer throwing the vegetables in a pan filled with oil made Danny jump. Had he still had his powers he would have phased through the chair, now he only caused the chair to skit backwards hitting the wall. Lancer looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. “You alright?”

“Yeah.” Swallowed Danny, “Just a bit jumpy at loud noises.” He explained sitting down again, feeling stupid for having jumped at the noise.

“I thought you were used to loud noise and explosions.” Noted Mr Lancer as he started peeling potatoes.

“No you are thinking of Jazz, she’s the one who can concentrate on whatever she wants when the world’s burning around her.” Said Danny missing his sister. Had she still been home things might have gone a bit differently.

“I see. That’s why you have trouble doing your homework on time?” Asked Lancer glancing over his shoulder at Danny.

Shrugging Danny slouched down in the chair his arm’s crossed over his chest. “No.” he said. He could live with the sound volume at home, it wasn’t hard to ignore most of it knowing that his parents would take care of any problem they got themselves in to. “I’m just not as smart as she is.” He sighed.

“You think too little of yourself Daniel, You have pulled up your grades this year you should be proud.” Lancer looked over his shoulder to find Danny with his eyes close ignoring him.

Listening to the teacher cooking Danny let himself dose of. He didn’t wake until Lancer sat down in the other chair. Cracking an eye open Danny glanced at the teacher. The man had a smile on his lips, “The stew is going to boil for an hour, now there’s two things that I can do. I can pick up the work I brought home with me and grade some papers until diner’s done. Or you can pick up your homework and I’ll give you a hand with it.”

It took Danny a moment to understand what the teacher was offering and he jumped at the chance to get the teachers help with the assigned math homework. He still didn’t understand how one was supposed to move every variables over to one side of the equation to figure out the missing numbers. Whenever Lancer saw that he was making a mistake he let Danny do it and afterwards took him step by step through how one was supposed to figure it out.

By the time an hour had passed they’d almost finished the homework. Lancer stretched his arms over his head letting out a groan. “Alright give me a hand setting the table.” Danny stuck his homework in to his backpack and got up swaying a bit as his head spun. Shaking of the dizziness Danny set to helping Lancer put out plates and utensils on the table.

When they sat down again Danny was practically starving. “I am not the cook in this house but I hope you like it.” Said Lancer spooning potatoes and stew on to his plate.

“Who’s the cook then?” asked Danny through a mouthful. Any cooking that wasn’t his moms was good, and more often than not safe to eat.

“My husband.” Said Lancer off handedly spooning potatoes on to his plate.

Danny on the other hand nearly choked on his food. “Wait you’re married!” he croaked looking around for any signs that his teacher was married. Even knowing Sam he couldn’t see any girly things of any kind, he hadn’t even seen a wedding-band on Lancer’s finger.

“Yes I am.” Said Lancer calmly fishing out a chain from around his neck a golden ring hanging from it. “Happily so. He’s working all week so I only see him during the weekends.” He smiled letting the ring disappeared under his shirt.

Gulping down some water Danny blinked at Lancer. “You are married and gay! How come no one in school knows that?” He asked, he’d known Lancer was a gamer and an actually nice person once one got to know him but nothing about his partner.

“You know the saying Daniel, You never asked.” Danny stared opened mouthed at Lancer feeling a shiver go up his spine and he almost choked on the next bite of stew he put in his mouth. “You alright there Danny?” asked the teacher filling his glass with water.

Drinking the water Danny caught a glimpse of something green flashing in the distance, followed by something red. “I’m fine.” Gulped Danny staring out the window.

 Lancer looked out as well and hummed. “Looks like another fight between the Red Huntress and Phantom.” Sighed the teacher.

“How you know it’s Phantom?” Asked Danny blinking at the flashing lights of the ghost fight. He wanted to be out there helping Valeri, fighting the ghost himself.

“Phantom’s ghost blasts are neon green.” Said Lancer nodding out the window. “You see him fight enough times and you know what his powers looks like. And the huntress always have red blasts.

“I thought I was the only one who figured that out.” Sighed Danny absently, he wanted to pick up his phone and talk to Valeri, even if he could only advice. He had more experience fighting ghosts than she did, and knew their tricks, he could help.

Or he could distract her, cause Valeri to lose her focus in the fight. It was better he waited until the fight was over to call, just like his friends so often had done. Picking at his food Danny couldn’t stop himself from feeling like he’d been selfish. He hadn’t really known before what his friends went through when he was the one fighting. Now he did, now he knew how it felt like being the sidekick, the support.

He’d stopped listening to Lancer and chewed absently at his food. The flashes of the ghost fight slowly stopped and Danny was tempted to call Valeri to hear about the fight. But he stopped himself deciding he could wait, talk to Valeri at school the next day.

Mr Lancer let Danny be after they’d eaten, he clearing the table and washed up before taking out the work he’d been talking about. After a while Lancer cleared his throat getting Danny out of his dark thoughts. “What’s that you are doing with your hand?” he asked pointing at Danny’s right hand. “You are doing that in class as well.”

He was taping his fingers to his thumb, a nervous tick he’d picked up whenever forced to sit still and do nothing. “It’s nothing.” Mumbled Danny picking up his phone. He stared at it for a minute or two before pocketing it again and getting up he wandered about the apartment taking in the sheer size of Mr Lancers book collection.

“Feel free to read one if you want.” Called the teacher from the kitchen. Danny nodded running his hand over the classic book titles, _Mobydick, Pinocchio, To kill a mockingbird, Pride and prejudice, Emma, Sherlock Holmes, The tales of the brothers Grim._ Taking the last book title of the shelf Danny turned it over. The volume was old with a picture of a wolf on the cover with the name written in gold above it.

Walking over to the easy chair by the window Danny caught a glimpse of the teacher smiling at him before returning to his work. Leafing through the pages of the book Danny stopped at the illustrations accompanying the classic tales Disney had adapted. He read the story of Cinderella his eyes growing heavy by the time he got to the evil stepsisters cutting of their own heels to fit in to the glass shoe.

Lancer heard the book hit the floor and looked up to find Danny asleep in his favorite reading corner. Going back to his work Lancer looked up at the sleeping teenager every now and again, he also checked his phone every once in a while having sent the Fenton’s a text earlier informing them of what had happened. Whenever he started to worry that the boy was to quiet he got up and move towards him only to find Danny grumble something under his breath and move in to a more comfortable position.

It was almost 9pm when his phone started ringing. Answering it quickly before the sound woke the stirring Danny, Lancer said “Hallo?” having forgotten to check the caller ID before answering.

“Mr Lancer, this is Maddie Fenton, is everything alright? I got your text just now, is Danny alright?” He could hear worry in her voice and there was a motor sound in the background as if she was in a moving car.

“Yes, Yes, everything is fine, it was just a scratch and a bump on the head.” Explained Lancer toning down the injuries a bit for the woman’s sake, he could give her a better report in person when she came to pick Danny up. “He’s with me right now, sleeping. Do you want me to drive him home?” He could always do that as well.

“No I’ll swing by you, just text me the address and I’ll be there to pick him up.” She sounded a bit calmer, the initial scare of having read a text saying her son had been in a car accident was wearing off.

“I’ll send you the address.” He agreed.

“Good I’ll be there in a minute.” Said Maddie hanging up. Lancer sighed and sent his address to the Fentons.

Putting down the phone Lancer looked up at the sleeping teenager, he’d curled up in to a ball the black hair falling in to his face, his hands grabbing fistfuls of his shirt. “Your mom will be here in a minute.” He called over at the boy. Danny only pushed his head against the easy chairs back mumbling something in his sleep.

Lancer had thought that Danny would wake up when Mrs Fenton rang the loud doorbell but he only twitched. Opening the door Lancer steeped to the side saying, “Come in.” to Maddie.

“How is Danny?” asked the woman steeping inside. She had pieces of twigs and leaves in her hair, mud staining her cheeks and jumpsuit, but nothing on her boots or the floor as she walked in.

“Sleeping in the corner.” Said Lancer waving a hand at the easy chair, only there was no sleeping teenager in it. “Les Miserables.” Swore Lancer looking around the small apartment.

“Hi mom,” Yawned Danny from behind the teacher making him jump with another exclaimed book title, _The secret garden_ this time.

Maddie seemed to relax seeing him up and awake. “Hi Sweetie, you got in to trouble again?” she asked reaching out an arm for him. Having seen Danny pull away from physical contact earlier in the day Lancer would have thought he do the same to his mom. Only the teenager stepped in to his mother’s offered hug and the guarded boy Lancer knew from school was for a moment reviled to be just another kid in need of his mom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've tried so many times to shorten the first half of this chapter but in the end I couldn't remove more than a few words


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the lack of art in this story, I havn't had much time to sit down and get in to it lately, being a teacher takes up a lot of my time and mind, It was easier being a student at lectures where I did moste of the previous art.  
> Oh well, I hope you'll enjoy this, see you next week.

Maddie couldn’t help but see a difference in Danny, he was calmer, took care of his responsibilities, stopped skipping class and for once he was handing in his homework on time. But he wasn’t happy, he rarely laughed and the flame in his eyes was low.

She’d been worried that Danny had gotten in to some trouble when hearing Mr Lancer’s message but when she saw him she knew she’d worried for nothing. Letting Danny explain what had happened over dinner Maddie was more annoyed at Jack for making the skateboard so dangerous. Making sure Danny promised to wear a helmet the next time he used the skate board she let him be.

As the evening turned in to night Maddie heard Danny in his room listening to music doing his homework. She went up to tell him to go to bed when she could still her his music playing after 12 o’clock. Often she found Danny asleep by his desk at that time or sleeping soundly in bed Sam by his side other nights he was alone. This night was like the few others when he was not in his room.

Turning of the music Maddie glanced at the still open computer on the desk. It showed an open word document with a lot of red marked spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. She pressed ctrl-S saving whatever it was Danny had been working on before closing the laptop. Taking a look around the room Maddie sighed at the mess on the floor before walking back out the door.

Checking in on Danny had become a habit and she walked to the only other place in the house she was fairly certain he would be at that late. Climbing up the ladder to the Ops center she let out the breath she hadn’t even known she’d been holding. The window to the roof was open and she could see her son standing by the roof edge.

Making sure that he could hear her coming Maddie walked over to stand beside him. He was wearing his pajama pants and the dark blue hoodie, his feet bare and she could see his ankle starting to bruise. “What you looking at?” she asked smiling down at him.

Blinking Danny lowered his gaze to stare at the street below, a sad look in his eyes. “Nothing.” He said but it sounded like he wasn’t really there.

“Are you asleep?” she asked reaching out to him. She’d found him standing on the roof before staring out in to space, at that time she’d talked to Danny, got him to go back to bed and the next morning he didn’t remember a thing.

He took a deep shaking breath and glanced at her. “No.” The word was lower than a whispered and Maddie could hear the fear in his quivering voice.

“Come here.” She said, stepping closer Maddie put her arms around Danny’s broad shoulders and gently guided him away from the roof edge. “It’s alright sweetie.” She said but she wasn’t sure what she meant was alright, she just knew he had to hear her say it.

Lowering his head Danny pressed his forehead in to her shoulder another shaking breath escaping him as if he was trying to stop the sobs. “You want to tell me about it?” she asked rocking from one foot to the other.

Danny shook his head. Staying like that for a moment Maddie felt Danny’s breathing grow steadier and the next time he took a deep breath he pulled away from her and rubbed at his eyes. “Should probably get some sleep.” His mouth tugged in to a small smile.

“That you should.” Sighed Maddie, all thou she wanted to ask him why he had been standing so close to the roof edge she didn’t. The peace and understanding between her and Danny was something she treasured more than the truth. She still woke up some nights thinking her boy had been taken from them, that he was in danger our hated her. Whenever she woke up to those thoughts nothing stopped them except for the sight of his sleeping form. She would watch him sleep for a while before returning to her own rest taking the advice of her daughter and giving Danny the space he needed and being there for him when he needed her. Without judging or demanding she would listen to him and accept Danny. It wasn’t easy but the reward was well worth it.

The two of them walked back inside the house and Maddie watched Danny turn in to his room and saw the lights turn off. Knowing he was safe and sound she went to bed as well.

 

Turning off the lights in his room Danny rubbed at his eyes, it took him a moment to realize the itching and discomfort was from the colored lenses and he spent a couple of minutes taking them out. Once removed his eyes didn’t stop itching but the odd feeling of the things stopped and he closed his eyes trying not to rub at them.

He’d gotten some rest at Mr Lancer’s place earlier but was still exhausted, it didn’t take long for him to fall asleep. Thou when he woke again he was no longer in bed but stood at the roof top staring out at the rising sun. “Not this again.” Sighed Danny sitting down on the roof edge.

“Can I just have one night without any spooky stuff happening. I never sleep walked before.” He grumbled massaging his aching right ankle. Staring at the sunrise Danny sighed, it was beautiful, not as stunning as a sunset where the sky changed color drastically from pink to purple to dark blue. No the sunrise was a clear blue sky with the golden streak of light at the horizon where the sky was its coldest hue of blue.

Staring at Amity Park’s skyline glowing in the early morning light Danny felt his mouth tug in to a sad smile. He’d never appreciated the sunrise like he did in that moment. It had always been a sign that he’d gone a night without sleep and would have to go through school before he could get some proper rest, which would most likely be disturbed by another ghost coming to town looking for trouble. Those nights he’d spent at Sam’s he’d run home at the crack of dawn never thinking of slowing down for a second to appreciate the world around him.

“Still not going up this early to check out the sunrise thou.” He muttered to himself deciding that he would do it again some time. Staying on the roof he could hear the town come to life with the echoes of early morning traffic.

Taking a deep breath Danny pushed himself up and walked back inside starting his morning routine before walking down to breakfast with his parents. They were loud and energetic, talking about ghosts and inventions, his mom glanced at him over the new ghost gadget she was fixing for his dad. She had been doing that often and he knew it was because she suspected something but didn’t know what. He knew he didn’t smile as much as he used to, he joked things off, pretended to be normal and all the while he was afraid she or his dad would see the freak he really was.

Not letting it show for his parents that his whole body was aching from the day before Danny managed to slip out of the house early deciding to walk instead of skateboarding to school and risk another accident when he didn’t pay attention to his surroundings. The walk warmed up his aching muscles and by the time he reached the school his body didn’t hurt as much.

The final warning bell rang out and Danny rolled his eyes. “Late again Fenton, What’s your excuse this time Mr Fenton? Glad you could join us today Daniel. Didn’t you hear the bell ring? Forgot your alarm today as well Mr Fenton.” Muttered Danny to himself as he walked through the empty corridors wondering which one he would hear today.

Entering the chemistry classroom as the teacher were calling the students name he heard the man let out an annoyed sigh. “Why can you never be on time Fenton?” asked the teacher as Danny sat down beside a half sleeping Valeri.

“Because time refuses to slow down.” Answered Danny thinking of Clockwork the master of time and his infuriating ability to manipulate time to his advantage, doing everything in his own time.

“That is a stupid answer Mr Fenton.” Sighed the teacher returning to his list.

“Only because he asked a stupid question.” Mumbled Danny drawing a smile from Valeri.

“You should have told him you would have flown here if you hadn’t lost your flying ability.” Whispered Valeri. Her eyes stopped on the bandage wrapped around Danny’s arm. “Thought you said you got Skulker without any problems?”

“I did, he’s cooling off in my thermos right now. This was just a car accident.” He answered waving of her worries. She and Sam seemed to think just because he’d lost his powers he was fragile but he wasn’t, he could still fight, still protect Amity Park, still do his job.

Valeri snorted getting a glare from the teacher as the man began his lesson. “You put Skulker on time out! Who am I going to use as a punching bag now?” whispered Valeri but she looked just as relived as Danny was not to have to worry about Skulker for a while. Or not until Sam started up with her Ghost/Animal rights where she complained that trapping a ghost in the thermos for an unnecessary amount of time was the same as animal cruelty, she usually used Danny as an example seeing as he had firsthand experience of being trapped in one.

“Wish I could have put him on ice.” Sighed Danny taking out his note book. “What was the ghost you were fighting yesterday after the plateaus-bear?” he asked taking a closer look at Valeri trying to spot any injuries. Ether she’d gotten away without a scratch or she was hiding her injuries under her t-shirt, skirt, boot’s and make up. She was hiding the shadows around her eyes with make up he knew, Sam would do the same when she didn’t get enough sleep.

“Hmmm.” Valeri stared at the blackboard as the teacher wrote on it.

Waiting for her to answer Danny started taking notes biting his tongue as he forced his right hand to be steady and let him write in a readable way. It meant that when half an hour had gone by his hand was hurting and he just gave up on notes taking knowing that he probably had to study anyways on what the teacher was talking about if he wanted to pass whatever exams he was cooking up for them. Instead he held the pen loosely in his hand scratching at the page in his note book drawing the back of the teachers head.

Seeing this Valeri rolled her eyes. “I am not sharing my notes with you.” She hissed.

“It’s not like anyone could read your chicken-scratches anyways.” Danny smiled at the glare Valeri gave him.

“Do you want to flunk chemistry?” she asked, Danny just shrugged not in the mood to care about his grades any more. Letting out a sigh she grabbed his note book. “Here, I’ll help you.”

“It’s okay.” Said Danny pulling the notebook back. “I’d rather you tell me about the ghost?” Valeri bit her lip and looked down on her notes. When she didn’t say anything after a while did Danny poke her.

“Why do you want to know?” she hissed making Danny suspicious. She didn’t want to tell him and was trying to deflect his questions with her own, a tactic he had used on occasion.

“I want to know because you don’t want to tell me.” He whispered pretending to take notes as the teacher stopped his monolog and turned to the class. “I’ve protected Amity far longer then you have, I have the right to know, don’t try and protect me from the truth.” He hissed feeling protective of his home town. Amity Park was his territory if another ghost was trying to take it from him then he’d teach them a lesson they wouldn’t forget.

“And right now you can’t protect shit. Let me deal with this duchebag on my own, I can handle him.” Snarled Valeri sounding just as teritorial as Danny had and the bands around her wrists glowed a fierce red.

Biting his tongue Danny glared at Valeri, anger tinting his vision a bright green. She met his scowl with her steady glare, the air in the classroom cracking with tension. “Mr Fenton! Miss Gray! Stop staring daggers at each other and pay attention!” Snapped the teacher.

The two let the staring contest continue for another moment before breaking eye contact and turning back to their notebooks. The teacher let out a sigh and continued explaining how they were going to make the days experiment work.

“Your eyes are glowing through the lenses.” Sighed Valeri after a while.

“Your wrists are as well.” Retorted Danny.


	5. Chapter 5

As the bell rang finally anointing the start of Danny’s lunch break he was among the first out of the classroom. Following the stream of students Danny stopped by his locker to unload the heavy textbooks that were crammed in to his backpack together with the Fenton gear he’d taken to carrying around.

“Hey Fen-turd!” shouted the all too familiar Dash coming towards him as if he was going to start a fight with Danny again. It wasn’t like Dash had completely stopped picking on Danny and making small jabs that could be considered bullying if it wasn’t for the fact that Danny knew what it was like being bullied by Dash.

“What is it Dash? And can it wait until after lunch, I’m starved.” Sighed Danny wishing Dash would stop acting like everyone in school didn’t know that the football star and freak was friends.

“I’ve got a bone to pick with you Fenton. Look at this.” He slammed his hand against the locker together with a paper filled with text. Narrowing his eyes to read the teachers comments in the margin Danny couldn’t understand what was wrong with it. “This is all your fault.” Said Dash with that broad grin on his face that he usually had after the team won a game.

Lifting the fingers that covered the grade Danny couldn’t help but smile himself. “You deserved it. You were the one who did all the hard work.”

“Fuck yeah, I deserve it, spending all my free time outside of football practice with you.” Grinned Dash swinging an arm around Danny’s shoulders. “You got any plans this Friday, we are playing the wishers from Wishing Hill.”

Danny sighed as they turned towards the cafeteria. “I-“ he began but the whispered of his breath played in front of his eyes a moment before a deafening boom was heard and Danny got a feeling of dejavu as he and Dash were flung backwards and hit the ground as a gray cloud obscured everything.

For a moment Danny couldn’t decide if it was his ears ringing or the wailing of the schools alarm. Seeing the flashing lights he decided it was the alarms and rolled over to get on to his hands and knees coughing. Squinting around the corridor at the people taking shape in the settling dust cloud he found himself wondering why they weren’t panicking, someone had just blown up part of the school and they just looked around in stunned confusion.

Looking down at the coughing Dash Danny realized that stunned was the key word, he was so used to explosion and being in danger that he’d supersede the primate instincts to stand frozen like a deer blinded by a car. “We need to get out.” He croaked, no one heard him and Danny pushed himself up taking a deep breath supers sing the urge to cough. “ _GET UP AND GET OUT_.” He roared getting people to look up.

They still looked a bit stunned and muttering a curse under his breath he grabbed Dash’s arm helping him up faster than he would have on his own. “Help me tell these people to get out.” He hissed in the others ear before turning to the nearest fallen student, pulling him up and telling him to get out pushing them in the direction of the nearest exit away from the explosion.

It didn’t take much brain capacity to tell stunned students to move their asses and Danny’s mind began spinning around the attack itself. He’d senses a ghost before the explosion and hoped to God Valeri was on the job. Even as he thought that a half remembered conversation snaked it’s way in to his spinning thoughts.

He’d been bleeding, confused and had his hands pressed against Cody’s bleeding gut. “May the Fourth it will be a ghost attack on the school, you won’t have any powers and if you jump in to the fight you will fail.” His older sisters eyes had held his. “Your ultimate enemy will have broken free and if we don’t stop Dan there is going to be years before we can take him down and many of your friends will die.”

Things hadn’t made much sense back then but she’d made an impression on him and Danny could remember her warning. The question was if she wanted him to stay put and let his friends meet the ultimate enemy or if he was meant to get involved. “She told me to make sure things happened as close to how they were meant to happen.” Grumbled Danny.

The rest of the students were catching on to the idea of getting to safety and when they heard another loud explosion everyone seemed motivated to get out as soon as possible. Danny was torn between going towards the sound of danger and following the rest. He didn’t have to think of a decision as Dash grabbed his elbow dragging him out in to the sunlight.

Breathing in gulps of fresh air Danny surveyed the growing crowd for his friends. While most of the people were untouched by the explosion there were others covered in dust and some smeared with blood. The teachers tried to organize the students, calling them over to form groups and getting the injured to the school nurse. Glancing up at Dash Danny could see him pressing a hand to his chest and cough but other than the dust smearing his face and darkening his hair he looked alright.

Rubbing his eyes Danny blinked and felt one of the two colored lenses fall out. Had it been any other day he would have thought it an inconvenience, now he only threw the lenses away and continued his search for his friends. Not finding them Danny’s gaze was instead drawn towards the smoke rising from the side of the school were the cafeteria was located.

Felling his insides tur in to knots Danny moved through the crowd to get a better look through  the cafeteria windows. For some reason they were all intact. _Valeri or Sam must have used their shields._ He thought licking his lips tasting the sweet emotions around him mingled in with the dust. There came a red flash from the other side of the obscured windows and Danny was sure Valeri was fighting someone.

Danny’s ears peaked at the all to familiar and annoying sound of his father speaking through the Fenton RV’s speakers, ordering people back from the school as they would deal with the fiend. “The must have been close by.” Muttered Danny seeing the RV come to a sudden and well maneuvered halt inches from Danny’s heals, his father was at the wheel.

The two jumped down and his mom took command over the situation shouting orders as Jack unloaded the two big guns. “You alright  son?” He asked hefting the bazooka on to his shoulder.

“Fine.” Said Danny more out of habit than anything else, his eyes had returned to scanning the crowd for Sam and Tucker who would definitely come running towards the RV. They didn’t however and Danny’s stomach sank as the thought of them fighting the ghost without him sank in.

“Stay put by the RV sweetie, we’ll be right back.” Said his mom before the two ran towards the school entrance. Danny bit his lip wanting to go with them, wanting to be useful, a hero. He wanted to know his friends were alright but knew he could only get in the way. All he could do was protect himself and no one else.

Digging his phone out of his pockets Danny swiped around for his contacts, his hands shaking from the shock or fear, or both. Pressing Tuckers number Danny brought the phone to his ears holding his breath. The signal when through sounding out a couple of times making him think no one would pick up. Someone did pick up just before the call would have gone to voicemail.

“Hallo Danny.” Said a cold rough voice with a deep hum that tuned Danny’s blood to ice and he stared at the cafeteria windows.

“You.” Said Danny remembering his evil future ghost self.

Dan Phantom laughed at the other end sending chills down Danny’s spine. “You still sound like a wimp, tell me are you also whining about school in that voice or have you finally given up the notion that you are a normal teenager?”

Danny growled. “Where is Tucker? What have you done to him.” His voice fell lower until the only difference between Dan and him was the emotions coloring his speech.

“Dead like he should be-“ the phone broke in Danny’s hand and he threw it away turning for the school entrance. He heard people shouting at him as he ran through the crowd but whatever they were saying it meant nothing

Running through the doors to the school Danny made a B-line for the cafeteria. He reached the piled up rubble from the explosion when a white shape jumped out of the shadows by a locker and pinned him to the wall. “Let go of me!” Shouted Danny still in that deep voice. He tried to kick his capture and pull away when she struck him with something hard in the chest and for a moment the world narrowed leaving only the two of them and the lockers behind him.

“Listen to me brother.” Hissed the older Jazz her sharp eyes fixed on his tiny pupils. “Tucker isn’t dead. Sam is alright, Valeri is doing a valiant job keeping everyone safe. Don’t run in to this head first.” Her eyes were pleading with him and Danny relaxed a bit hearing that Tucker was alive, he would survive.

On the other hand she wasn’t completely reassuring. “What do you mean Valeri is doing a Valiant job?” he asked narrowing his eyes on Jazz the world which had been shut out coming back in to focus.

Biting her lip Jazz looked away. “She won’t fall in this battle, please Danny don’t rush in, take a moment and form a plan before facing him.” She let go of him backing up holding something pressed against her chest.

Danny rubbed at the spot she’d hit on his own chest his hand came away stained with blood. Looking down he could see a small blotch of blood staining his hoodie and pulled down the zipper to get a better look at the injury. “What did you do.” He asked frowning at the absence of pain.

Holding up the large syringe Jazz made a face. “Liquid ghost energy. Enough to give you your full powers back for a few minutes, just don’t use the wail or you will deplete the powers instantly.” She pocketed the thing and reached for the gun at her hip.

“You mean I can…” He turned his hands invisible and found no resistance, no barrier keeping him from the power that had once listened to his every beck and call. “Can I go ghost?” he asked but didn’t wait for an answer before thrusting his hands in the air reaching for his full powers. The ring formed around him and his vision darkened.

He was dimly aware that someone caught him and knowing that he and Jazz were alone it was probably she. It took him a moment to call for his ice powers clearing the mist from his brain. “That is a NO.” Said Jazz drawing a snort from Danny. “I know my jokes are bad but that was a horrible one brother.” She said and he shook his head leaning back against the lockers for support. “Listen, you are still trapped between your forms, the liquid energy has just given you access to the ghost powers but not as Phantom, you’ll have to be Danny Fenton in this. You can replenish some of the energy if you eat emotions-“

“I rather eat horse shit.” Muttered Danny noticing the slight slur in his speech.

“I know. But you need to know that overusing your powers will lead to brain aneurism, seizures, and permanent brain damage. You had one of those just now, thou they aren’t to bad but will be if you keep overdoing it, so you need to use your powers sparingly. Do you understand me.” Jazz had let go of Danny as he recovered his balance and at the end of her speech he felt like normal again.

“Yeah I understand.” He said shooting a glance in the direction of the cafeteria. Closing his eyes he pulled the cold calm power from his core around himself relaxing. “Just a few minutes right.” Jazz nodded even if he couldn’t see her, the question had been rhetorical anyways. “Then let’s make the most of it.”

Sinking down on the floor Danny took a deep breath and from old habit he fell in to the breathing rhythm he needed. A part of him was concerned with the meaning of Jazz’s words, another part of him made him ignore what she’d said and concentrate on what he needed to do. Calling to the ice, building it up, until it was just right and then forced it out in to his limbs.


	6. Chapter 6

Feeding on emotions had been a part of Danny since the day of the accident. He had often noticed the taste in the air during football games, lunch, Fridays and when being bullied by Dash. It had been the sort of taste that always reminded him of something he liked to eat only better, tastier, more real than any human food. He’d wanted more, it was never enough and then it dawned on him what he had to do to get that taste all the time.

It had made him sick and considered himself just as bad as the ghosts he fought, but at least he understood why they did what they did. He had gotten over the revulsion he’d had at the thought of food after feeding on Peabody’s emotions for a week but he would still feel sick tasting emotions some times. Danny’s stomach was fighting with his will as he stood in the store room under the cafeteria breathing deeply, storing the energy as best he knew how waiting for his moment.

The sound of Valeri’s battle with Dan was dying down, the familiar sound of her weapons growing fainter as she ran out of energy herself. Phantom on the other hand laughed and made fun of her weakness, being the bully Danny could have become.

Judging by the sudden sour taste from the other students, Valeri must have narrowly avoided getting hit. Taking a deep breath Danny consumed those emotions as well. He heard the students let out a shout followed by a loud sound like a ghost-ray hitting a shield, only the following emotions weren’t of relief.

Turning himself intangible Danny bent his knees just as a loud explosion was heard from above, followed by the unmistakable sound of his dad. “Eat Fenton ecto power, you undead fiend.”

The taste of short lived hope left an acid burn to Danny’s throat and he swallowed hard. There was the sound of weapons being fired and then his mom cried out, “Jack.” And that was the last drop.

Throwing himself up through the floor in to the cafeteria Danny didn’t have to see to know where Dan was, or his mom, he knew on an instinctual level and had the ghost shield up between Dan and his mom catching the green-ish ghost ray before it hit her.

Gritting his teeth’s as the shield bracelet burnt his skin Danny glared at the ghost through the green shield. He hadn’t changed at all since Danny trapped him in the Fenton thermos two years earlier, thou it was almost three years by now. His flaming white hair frame the light blue, square jawed face, a tiny beard decorated his jaw and the white DP on his chest was a thorn in Danny’s eye. The white cloak flew around his shoulders making him look like a hero, the hero he’d been.

Lowering the shield Danny stepped in front of Maddie his knees bent. “No sweetie get-“

“Stay out if this mom.” Growled Danny his voice similar to Dan’s. He felt her hesitate behind him, but the pause his appearance had caused was over and with a sharp toothed smile Dan lunged for the crowd of students trapped in the cafeteria with him.

Danny flung himself at the ghost seeing a downed Valeri and defiant Sam in the crowd. He pushed the thought of Tucker out of his mind concentrating on forming an ecto-blast in his left hand which he flung at Dan.

The lunge had been a faint from Phantom who knew Danny would do anything to protect people. Dan stopped and grabbed Danny outstretched left arm wiping him through the air and slamming him in to the ground. The breath was forced out of Danny’s lungs, but he didn’t feel any sharp pain from any injuries and went with the motion, kicking of the ground landing a solid heel kick with his right leg.

Dan was thrown across the room and even Danny was surprised at how far he flew. It didn’t last long as Dan recovered his footing before he slammed in to a wall. Danny caught a glimpse of Jazz by the school kitchen waving students through and towards the back exit. “Well looks like the whelp has learned to fight. Did you take some self-defense classes from Vlad or did mom teach you?” Asked Dan walking to the side trying to get an opening at Danny’s friend and family.

“A bit of both, who let you out of the bottle. Thought you were going to be locked away for an eternity.” Dan flung a ghost ray at Danny which he caught on the shield bracelet feeling the skin burn under it.

“Please, my escape was inevitable. As is their death.” He flung a ghost ray at Jack and Maddie. Danny flung himself at the attack.

Dan had known he would do that and flung himself forward landing a hard kick to Danny’s ribs. He gasped and tried to get away but the ghost grabbed Danny by the throat. “As is your defeat.” He hissed.

Raising his right hand Dan charged an ecto blast. On instinct Danny slammed his free hand against the charging plasma trying to control it like he would redirect ice. Dan’s eyes widened and his other hand tightened around Danny’s throat. Shadows moved in to the corners of Danny’s vision and he bared his fangs in a snarl.

This time he felt the shift, the light push that before had been unnoticeable and now drew his attention because of the sudden surge of power. “Get your hands off us!” Growled Danny and the power he’d been trying to control suddenly surged through him and out hitting Dan with a lightning bolt that sent them both sprawling.

Rolling up to his feet Danny had a moment to appreciate the speed at which Dan moved before the ghost was face to face with him. Only Danny had moved out of the way of the ghost’s attack and swung his right fist at him.

Landing the blow Danny felt surprisingly satisfied, until the copy disappeared and the invisible Dan hit Danny in the back with a ghost-ray that burnt through his hoodie and t-shirt, to singe the skin. Stumbling forward Danny turned around in time to see the next blast hit him. The third one however didn’t burn any skin, taking both the right sleeve and the right pant’s leg in the blast revealing the limbs of ice, white bone shining through it like snow.

Straightening Dan took in Danny’s appearance for a moment frowning. “What’s wrong, where’s the ghost who defeated me. Where’s the Danny Phantom who learned the wail ten years earlier than he was supposed to?” he walked towards Danny who backed up. “You learned some new tricks, things I’ve known and things I’ve never been able to do. But where is I in you?”

“I will never become you Dan!” Growled Danny charging a ghost ray in his left hand. “I am not anything like you, I am myself.” He flung the ghost-ray at Dan while dashing to the side. The ghost smacked the weakly charged ghost-ray out of his way and lifted an arm guarding against the high kick Danny landed on him. It made the ghost bend a knee and move his footing backward but Danny hadn’t beaten him in to the ground like he’d wanted.

“And that will be your downfall.” Smirked Dan straightening suddenly flinging Danny off balance and the next thing he knew Dan had the ecto-constructs binding him again and power like electricity surged through Danny drawing a long scream from his throat. “That’s it my boy, scream, scream your heart out and let me crush it.”

Danny saw him flick his hand to the side and the green blast flying at him. He closed his eyes feeling the tears run down his cheeks. The sound like the blast hitting something made Danny flinch and open his eyes.

Valeri raised her voice. “I don’t think so, let him go or you’ll have to-“ Dan flung another blast at Valeri, this one pushing her and her shield back. “That’s it I-“ he did it again and again, forcing Valeri to keep up the shield or let the blast hit the people behind her.

As if on a whim Dan flung a ghost ray in another direction and Danny could see the fear in his mom’s and dad’s face. He watched in slow motion as his mom tried to get a shield up in time to protect Jack who was still stuck to a wall thanks to the ecto-constructs. “NOOOOOOOOO!” shrieked Danny, his voice rising in to a wail and the blast was stopped.

There was no air left in Danny’s lungs to cry out with but that wasn’t what he wanted to do. He wanted to scream his best friend’s name, to call out in joy at Tucker. He still couldn’t see the tecno-geek but there was no one else who could have summoned the ghost that stood in front of his parents, bandaged thick arms crossed over his chest, the one eye glaring at Dan. “Who the heck are you?” Asked Dan in a bored tone of voice still bombarding Valeri.

“I am Hotep RA!” declared the old ghost straightening and stepping forward the ends of his bandages and cloak whipping around him summoning up a small dust storm in the cafeteria. “The servant of Kung Duulaman, wielder of the scarab-scepter, concurer of the mortal realm.”

The look Dan gave the ghost said nothing, he looked bored and flung a blast at the ghost. Hotep RA had his bandages stop the attack and Danny thought he saw the shadow’s darken around him. “Go on RA, you haven’t told him everything yet.” Said Tucker, his voice coming from somewhere within the blowing sand.

This time the reaction he got from Dan was one of sudden fear before it was hidden by hatred. The power surging through Danny lessened a bit but it did nothing to stop him from slipping closer to unconsciousness. “Show yourself.” Ordered Dan blasting away at Hotep who was doing a good job avoiding the worst blasts and protecting the people behind him. Conveniently drawing Dan’s attention away from Valeri and the students.

Danny felt something cut the air beside his right ear and something pricked his side and then he fell to the floor like a rag doll. Dan spun around slamming a ghost-ray down at Danny. Missing his mark as Hotep took the opportunity to wrap his tentacle like bandages around Dan’s arms and re-direct the attack.

It pissed the ghost of and Danny was too busy gasping for air and fighting for consciousness to warn the Hotep. Dan moved swiftly jerking Hotep towards him and in an elegant strike buried his hand in the other ghost’s chest.

“RA!” Shouted Tucker emerging from the settling dust to run towards his ghost. Dan flicked a ghost ray at him and Danny saw a red blur pull him to the ground. All the while Phantom had his hand around Hotep’s ghost core and squeezed.

The shockwave that hit them all when the ghost core broke made everything stand still. The red triumphant gleam in Dan’s eyes only added to the rage Danny was feeling and the cry that came from Tucker was enough to get him back on his feet. He saw Sam move out of the corner of his eye and before Dan could turn around to deal with him Danny made his move.

He grabbed the thick arm of Dan’s and threw the ghost over one shoulder, it didn’t occur to him that Dan was twice his height and three times his size, what mattered was getting his full attention again. The ghost came up on his feet and flung himself at Danny who shifted his balance.

Dan knew the stance and was charging an ecto-construct when a sharp whistle was heard and the ghost faltered, his attack losing power distracting him for the second it would have taken him to avoid the kick. As it was Danny landed a satisfyingly solid kick on the ghost sending him rolling back.

Stumbling as he put his foot down Danny found Sam grabbing his arm to support him, a home made crossbow in her free hand, made from pencils and rubber bands, the second hair pin loaded on to it. Dan got up again pulling the blood blossom spike out of his side and throwing it away. Sam shot him again, this time it struck Dan in the chest, in the middle of the logo. The ghost cried out and Danny stared in horrified fascination as he began to change.

The black and white circles appeared around him and he seemed to fight to keep them from changing him but it was useless. The rings washed over Dan revealing a 14 year old Danny standing in his place. “You’ll pay for this.” Hissed Dan his voice as deep and threatening as before, but with an emotional undertone of rage.

Danny saw the first sign of the attack and mimicked Dan as they both drew in a deep breath, Danny stepping in front of Sam before they both released their wail’s. Never before having crossed his wail with another ghost Danny didn’t know what he’d been expecting. It sure wasn’t the sudden pressure in the air or the tightening of his ears, it hadn’t been the sight of both their wail’s colliding, spreading out like a solid barrier between them causing the already structurally unsafe building to start shake and more rubble and dust to fall down the longer they continued.

Sam’s hand’s grabbed the back of his hoodie and he felt her press her head against his back. He knew he didn’t have much left, he couldn’t keep up the wail forever if he wanted to survive, but Dan couldn’t have much power left either. Meeting the steady red eyes Danny felt like someone nudged him and he changed the pitch of his wail narrowing it to cut through Dan’s waves.

The wail sliced through his evil selves wail and the red eyes suddenly widened in panic. Danny could only stare in anger as Dan opened a portal in to the ghost-zone and fled. “Coward.” Croaked Danny ending his wail. His knee’s buckled and Sam’s arm’s were suddenly around him gently guiding his fall to the floor.

Sitting down Sam held Danny pressed against her chest, her arm’s shaking and Danny thought she’d never felt so cold as she did in that moment. He was barley aware of anything apart from Sam and it wasn’t before Tucker and Valeri entered his field of vision that he heard them speak. “Please tell me you’re alive man.” Said Tucker holding a protective arm over his chest the other one was around the limping Valeri’s shoulders.

“I could say the same to you Tuck.” Breathed Danny a crocked smile tugging his lips. “I thought you were gone.”

Tucker gave him an uncertain smile helping Valeri sit down. Her armor had retracted and Danny could see that she was holding herself stiffly, as if she had more than a couple of broke ribs and bruises that hurt. “I had an ace up my sleeve.” Said Tucker digging out the turquoise stone from within his shirt.

It was broke and held together with glue and a string but Danny recognized it. “The scarab from the scepter.” He breathed. Then a shadow fell over them and the four teenagers lifted their heads to stare up at Jack and Maddie, their ghost weapons aimed at Danny with an un readable expression on their faces. “Oh! Hi mom, dad.”


	7. Chapter 7

Cracking his eyes open Danny blinked at the red lights in the dimly light room. It took him a moment to register that it was his room and the lights were from his alarm clock displaying the time as 5:27 pm. He stretched and felt the warm weight around his chest tighten and small sharp stabs that went up his right side.

Turning his head Danny’s eyes landed on the sleeping Sam beside him. She looked at peace, her hair falling in to her face her right arm possessively wrapped around him, wearing his dumpty humpty concert t-shirt.

Returning his heavy head to the pillow Danny tried to remember how he’d gotten home and why he was in his room and not trapped in some horrible ghost containment invention of his parents. He remembered going to school and being in class. The explosion was hard to forget and the voice on the phone was nothing he was going to forget anytime soon. The fight however was a bit of a blur thou he was fairly certain he knew what had happened if not quite clear on the details.

It was what happened after the fight that bothered Danny. He had looked up at his mom and Dad as their shadows fell on him and his friends, the barrels of their guns pointed at his head. “Oh! Hi mom, Dad.” He’d said having no energy left to worry about the guns.

“Do not call us that, what have you done to our Danny!” had Maddie snarled her eyes alight with a hatred she’d only reserved for ghost who hurt her family and Phantom, him.

“Are you two blind!” shouted Sam pulling him closer, protecting him with her body while driving whatever sharp object that was lodged in his back deeper in.

“Are you!” shouted Maddie her voice breaking and Danny saw the tears at the corners of her eyes. Licking his lips Danny tasted a strange mixture of sweet fear and burning protectiveness. “Can’t you see what this thing is.”

 There was a whirling sound of weapons charging and the red glow from Valerie armor made them all look at her. “Call him a thing one more time and I swear you’ll never lay a hand on him again.” She Growled the arms, back and shoulders of her armor having formed to her will pointing all sorts of guns at them.

“Shit Val relax.” Murmured Danny shifting a bit to sit on his own. He took a deep slow breath calling back the power he’d sunk in to his limbs to turning them in to ice. “You know they aren’t wrong. I’m not exactly the halfa I used to be.” He felt a bit dizzy as the ice melted away and his skin covered his limbs once more. Glancing up at his parents Danny shrugged. “It’s not like I didn’t know they would find out, I just pushed back the inevitable.” His vision had darkened then and the last thing he remembered hearing was his mom calling his name.

Danny could only assume that his friends had told his parents something that keep them from strapping him to a table and dissecting him. Taking a deep breath Danny rolled out of bed making sure not to wake Sam. Grabbing a hold on the computer chair to keep himself upright he took inventory of his injuries.

During the fight he’d ignored the bruises Dan’s hits would leave. Stretching his aching body Danny heard some of his joints pop and the skin on his back tightened. Feeling his back Danny’s fingers came in to contact with the ecto burn left by Dan’s blast, it was covered in a thick layer of the ointment Vlad had given him months earlier. He touched the dressing over the two wounds he’d sustained when his friends freed him from the ecto constructs. Peeling back the dressings Danny ran his fingers over the five stitches holding his skin together, _Sam’s work_ , he thought recognizing the even stitches.

Covering the injuries Danny pulled a t-shirt over his bare chest and pulled on a pair of his favorite jeans for good measure. His stomach Growled telling him to eat everything in the kitchen before he did anything else. Leaving his room Danny could hear voices from downstairs and waited at the top floor landing listening.

Apart from the persistent ringing in his ears Danny could hear people in the living room talking and it took him a moment to realize that the buzz in his head was coming from the house. Placing a hand against the wall Danny feel the vibrations the humming power cables were causing. He shot a glance at the ladder leading to the Ops center from where he could hear his mom’s voice telling someone over the intercom that the shield needed more power to stabilize, meaning that the ghost shield was up. And the people down in the living room were probably the ones living outside the shields radius.

It was one of the things the people of Amity Park were proud of, their hospitality during crisis. People who didn’t know each other willingly opened their doors for others in need, be it a storm or ghost invasion they were always welcoming. And the Fenton’s were no difference.

Walking down the stairs Danny heard the room fall quiet as he entered it. He recognized some of his class mates and their parents, Dash being one of them. The staring eyes followed Danny as he crossed the room and entered the kitchen where Laura Baxter and Angela Foley were busy cooking food, turning out cookies and sandwiches by the batch which they sent out with volunteers. He could hear Dash speak up in the living room, “Stop gaping at him as if he’s some animal at the zoo. You! Yes you delete that photo from your phone right now. I said now!” Grabbing one of the freshly baked cookies Danny dodged behind Mrs Foley to get to the coffee machine.

“Please don’t crowd the-“ Laura began then stopped herself. “Oh Daniel I… I…” She cast around for something to say as Danny filled the machine with water and changed the coffee filter.

“You hungry dear?” Asked Mrs Foley snapping her fingers at one of the teens who were standing in the open doorway staring. “You kid’s make yourself useful and make sure the people outside gets something to eat.” When they didn’t move she clapped her hands together. “OI! Get your lazy asses moving.” She ordered and the teenagers scrambled in to the kitchen grabbing bowls and plates that they filled with food before skedaddling out of the way.

Letting out a satisfied huff Mrs Foley turned to Danny who, after starting the coffee machine had moved over to the fridge pulling out leftovers from the last week. “Here let me heat that up for you.” She said taking a bowl of thai food from his hands.

“Thanks.” Said Danny, his voice hoarse but working. The woman gave him a quick smile shoving the food in to the hot oven.

“Tucker and Valeri were down here a couple of hours ago eating their way through the case roll I’d brought over.” She said straightening. “I can only assume you are starving as well.” She glanced skeptically at the food that was heating up as if she didn’t expect him to be able to finish it all.

“Oh I am ravenous.” Said Danny walking over to the medicine cabinet getting the bottle of aspirin. Instead of fiddling with the lid he simply bit it off and shook out three pills that he swallowed dry.

Getting a fork from a drawer he took out one of the smaller plates of food and dug in. It wasn’t before he’d licked all the dishes clean that he turned to the finished coffee and poured it in to a mug. He felt the women’s eyes on him as he downed the first mug of hot coffee without blinking. As he started on the third one Dash spoke. “Aren’t you burning your tongue?”

Glancing at the jock Danny shrugged and downed the rest of the coffee. He was still hungry and would probably eat a billion nasty burgers before he would feel full again. “Don’t care.” Huffed Danny opening the fridge again taking out two of his dad’s soda bottles. He threw one to Dash who caught it. “Thanks.” Said Danny to the larger teenager before heading through the closed door to the basement and down the stairs.

Walking down the stairs Danny heard his dad talking to Damon Gray. “I’m adding the extra power cable to draw power from the ghost-portal now.” He said and entering the lab Danny saw his old man arm deep in to the wall beside the ghost-portal.

“Right… I am not seeing any changes here. You sure you connected the coupling right.” Mr Gray turned from the screen he’d been monitoring to see if things were working for Jack.

“Just…” The big man grunted shifting position. “Give me…” He huffed trying to stretch his arm deeper inside. “A sec-“ He suddenly yelped and jerked his arm back pressing his hand to his chest breathing through a string of curses as he jumped from one foot to another turning around.

Danny opened the can of soda and took a sip. “You burnt your hand on the secondary stabilizer or the primary ecto-stabilizer that’s just beside it right.” Said Danny causing Mr Gray to freeze in his steeps as he slowly turned his gaze upon Danny.

“You damned right I did.” Huffed his dad shaking his large hand a patch on the glove had melted off. “We have to open the panel up so I can get in there.” Grunted Jack turning to the nearest power tool.

Rolling his eyes Danny took a gulp of the soda before holding up the bottle to his Dad. “Don’t be so dramatic Dad, here let me.” He smiled as the man took the can. Picking up the power coupling that was running towards the converter which sent power up to the ghost-shield Danny stretched his arm in through the open panel.

“You’ll need both hands son, the clamps are pretty hard.” Advice Jack taking a swig of the soda.

“Naa.” Said Danny almost crawling in to the wall to reach the cable they were after. “This is nothing.” He smiled feeling the heat from both stabilizers as he flexed the muscles in his arm opening the clamp. “Got it.” Hummed Danny connecting the power and the screen Mr Gray wasn’t watching light up.

Jack let out a chuckle and patted Danny on the shoulder. “That’s my boy.” He smiled the words warming Danny’s insides more than the hot coffee had.

There was a sound of static from the speaker and Maddie’s voice spoke up. “Great work you two, I’ll run a few diagnostics but it looks like we can expand the shield another block or two.”

“Good, we’ll check weapons system next.” Said Mr Gray glancing over his shoulder at Danny who tasted the mans hatred towards him. There was clearly a lot that needed explaining.

But one thing at a time. “Dad I need to show you and mom something.” He said walking over to the shelf holding old binders covered in dust and cobweb. Grabbing the one labeled _Ghost Portal_ Danny opened it and took out the USB-drive he’d taped to the front years earlier.

“A right.” Said Jack as if he understood what was going on. “Let’s go up to your mom, it’ll be better that way.” He said and followed Danny as he walked up the stair to the kitchen, where he grabbed another cookie, before climbing the stairs to the second floor and then the ladder to the Ops center.

“You didn’t have to come up Jack, you could have just stayed down in the lab until I needed something, I’m not sure Damon knows his way around our teck like he knows Axion’s.” Said Maddie her back towards the trapdoor.

Stepping to the side and letting his dad come up Danny watched his mom wearily. She was alone and clearly wanted it to stay that way for whatever reason he didn’t know. “Well you see Mads, Danny had something he wanted to tell us.”

The sudden halt was almost imperceptible if one wasn’t watching her very closely. Maddie didn’t say anything, she didn’t move, and Danny decided it was better he make the first move and not she. Walking over to her he reached out and placed the USB-drive on the console in front of her. “Just watch it.” He said backing up.

Giving him a curious look Jack walked over to Maddie and talked to her in a whispered tone, thou his words didn’t escape Danny’s ears. He walked over to the fridge and sniffing around the fast food boxes, coming out with his arms full he sat down on the table in the middle of the room.

Jack picked up the USB-drive and inserted it in to a port. Tucker had programed it to show the video once inserted to a computer, it was all there was on the drive, the security tape from the day Danny accidentally turned on the ghost portal. He could remember it clearly and would likely never forget the day he died.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I'm still working on the final story but will take a pause this weekend because of Närcon Summer. If any of you are going there don't hesitate to contact me otherwise you'll get another chapter next week.  
> Love you all.


	8. Chapter 8

It had been a normal day when Danny came home with Sam and Tucker. Normally he would have been in a good mood, there hadn’t been any bullying that day and he had gotten a B+ on his last math test. If he’d just kept his mouth shut about his parents stupid ghost inventions they might be heading for his room and a couple of rounds of _Super Mario Kart_ but no they were going down in to the lab.

“I always wondered why your parents put the steel door in the kitchen.” Said Tucker his face illuminated by his PDA as he played _Galagar_ , the tec-geek had been in a retro game mood the last month and learnt to make most of the old games compatible with the latest tec he owned.

“You didn’t figure they had a lab hidden down here from all the noise we would hear and the two coming in to the kitchen with green gup all over them?” asked Sam dryly. She was digging around in her backpack for the polaroid camera she’d bought for her scrapbook. “How come you’ve never taken us down here before Danny?” she asked lifting the camera as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

Letting out an annoyed sigh Danny shrugged. “Ghost’s aren’t real, mom and dad are just crazy and think they can make everyone who comes down here believe them, they even tried getting me and Jazz involved.” He could remember their dad coming bounding up the stairs to the kitchen one Saturday morning showing of the new hazmat suits he’d made for them.

Hadn’t Jazz been in the room Danny would have been forced in to his and dragged down the stairs to listen to his parents babble on about ghosts while he was put to work holding something disgusting and smelly or acidic and lethal. As it was he’d gotten away with only having to take out the trash and could later spend the rest of his day with his two new friends. The hazmat suit hung on a peg beside the stairs his name written on a piece of tape over it.

“Wow.” Breathed both Sam and Tucker taking in the lab. Danny supposed it was cool seeing it for the first time but knowing what went on down there he didn’t see the amazing inventions or the sci-fi movie potential. He only saw a waste of space and time, but it made his parents happy to work on their crazy inventions that never worked, and he supposed that they would probably drive him made if they couldn’t devote all their energy on something they believed in and loved, however farfetched ghosts were.

“What’s that?” asked Tucker pointing towards the old computer his mom still used for coding computer parts and ordering industrial washing machines when their old one broke after a year of hard use.

“That’s and antic.” Said Danny glancing at Sam who was inspecting the vials and beakers containing his mom’s chemical experiments. “Don’t breath in anything over there.” He warned smelling rotten lemons and something acidic.

“I won’t.” She answered her eyes glittering as she took in the mess. “Your mom knows what to do with this?” she asked waving a hand at the beakers.

“I suppose. She tends to use the stove upstairs when her burner down her runs out of gas.” Sighed Danny remembering all the meals he’d refused to eat because he’d seen her cook at the same time as she did experiments.

Tucker had his eyes on the teck laying strewn over work surfaces and thrown in boxes. “You know what half of this stuff do?” he asked picking up the half assembled Fenton-ghost-catcher-thermos.

“That one keeps your sup warm, It’s a thermos Tuck.” He took it from Tuckers hands returning it to the work bench. “Can we leave now, you’ve seen the lab and I’m getting hungry.” Complained Danny.

Snorting Tucker jabbed an elbow in Danny’s side. “You are always hungry man.” He said and his eyes fell on the black-board where his parents calculations and drawings for their latest invention was written. “Hallo what’s this?” Tucker walked over to the black-board and Danny sighed, he was never going to beat them in another Mario kart race.

“YO Danny what’s this.” Asked Sam from behind him and he turned to see her pick up the hazmat suit. “It’s got your name on it.” She said glancing over at him, that wicked glint in her eyes.

“I have never worn it.” Said Danny. Sam’s smile spread wider. “And I’m never wearing it.” He hurriedly said knowing what Sam was thinking, anyone could see it was bad.

She opened her mouth to say something but Tucker let out a loud “WOW. Is this for real?” Turning to see what he was looking at Danny smacked his forehead. Tucker had pushed the black-board aside and revealed the ghost-portal.

“What is that?” Asked Sam tossing the jumpsuit at Danny who caught it.

“The Fenton-Ghost-Portal.” Muttered Danny under his breath walking over to his friends to keep them from doing something stupid, like going in through the hole in the wall or accidentally trip over one of the many cables still running across the floor.

“A ghost portal!” Exclaimed Sam and there was no way she was going to lose interest now, she was obsessed with everything spooky or scary or weird and the portal fell in to that category.

“Yes.” Grumbled Danny.

Sam turned toward him, saw the hazmat suit in his arms and the smile on her face broadened. “Let’s take a picture.” She said and pushed Danny forward to stand in front of the portal stumbling over a cable before turning around to face them. “Smile.” Chimed Sam and Danny instinctively raised the suit wanting to hide behind it but wasn’t fast enough.

The flash nearly blinded him and that was it for Danny, he’d had enough of the lab and could go a life time without setting foot in the basement ever again. “Okay, I showed you the portal, can we get out of here now. My parents could be back any minute.” His friends didn’t look convinced and he shrugged. “Besides it doesn’t work anyways.” He wanted to add _Like most of their inventions_ but kept it to himself.

Sam pouted walking over to the entrance of the portal. “Come on Danny, aren’t you curios. A ghost-zone!” She leveled those perfect purple eyes on him. “You got to check it out.” He wasn’t going to fall for those eyes, they had already caused him two detentions for helping her.

“You know what, you are right. Who knows what Awesome Super Cool things exist on the other side of that portal.” He said with as much sarcasm as he could manage. Then Sam gave him that super grin and, wow did he want her to keep smiling like that, she wasn’t the sort of girl who smiled a lot and when she did it was more evil than kind. Her smile now was radiant and he couldn’t disappoint her, not when she directed it at him.

Sighing Danny pulled the white and black suit on over his school clothes and zipped it up. “Hang on.” Protested Sam and for a split-second Danny thought she had seen sense and decided not to make him go in to the gaping hole in the wall. She stepped forward and ripped the sticker of his dad’s face from the jumpsuits chest. “You can’t go walking around with that on your chest.” She said throwing it in a trash bin.

Rolling his eyes Danny didn’t mention the box under the computer desk that held a shit tone of the stickers. His dad had ordered them on a whim and was now putting them on everything.

Turning toward the portal Danny’s stomach twisted in to knots, his parents always warned him and Jazz to be carefully down in the lab, even if they never forbade them from being there. Knowing that going through the open hole was a bad idea Danny stepped forward crossing the threshold. When nothing happened he took another step inside and then another, the horrible feeling in his stomach disappearing with every step. The portal didn’t work which meant that it was only a collection of junk. Hearing Sam and Tucker cheer him on Danny decided to go all the way to the end of the thing and back again, showing them that the bullies in school were wrong, he was not a coward.

He was almost at the back of the tunnel when his foot slipped and cough on the thick cables on the floor. He flung out a hand and caught himself on the wall. The light click made him lift his hand to see what he’d put it on. The word _On_ was written beside a button and the charging noise had Danny’s mouth suddenly go dry.

Spinning around he caught sight of Sam and Tucker, the last thing he saw was their expressions change as they too realized what was happening. Then everything got a greenish color and something hit Danny’s back hard enough to make him think a truck had driven over him. Then came the electricity and his world was turned inside out as he screamed.

Not really sure how much time passed as he was pulled apart and resembled over and over again, he slowly became aware of the absence of pain and the weightlessness of his body. Blinking in to the green swirl around him Danny wondered if this was the afterlife, if so he thought someone ought to change the color scheme, green wasn’t really his favorite color.

Sam’s voice reached his ears and Danny turned in the direction. “I don’t know Tucker! Oh God don’t tell me we killed him.” She said a quivering tone that Danny didn’t really understand.

“You think we should tell his parents.” Said Tucker and as Danny narrowed his eyes at the source of their voices he could make out their shilluets in the green hexagon swirl. “We should definitely tell them. Oh Why did you have to make him go in there.”

“I thought it would be fun.” Said Sam in a small voice and Danny tried to reach out to her, to comfort her, tell her he was alright. “Christ his scream is still ringing in my ears.”

“This has got to be the worst way to g- Holy shit!” shouted Tucker as Danny’s hand passed through the green barrier separating them.

It was like something was pulling him back, pulling at his chest trying to keep him in the green void. Then hands grabbed on to his and pulled him from the portal in to the fresh sweet air of the lab.

Bracing himself on his knees Danny took deep gasping breaths. He shivered feeling his friends warm hands on his shoulders. “Danny, Danny, please tell me you are alright!” shouted Sam and Danny winced at the sharp sound.

“Jess Sam you don’t have to shout I can hear you just fine.” He retorted and then frowned hearing his own voice oddly echoing. “That’s weird.” He said straightening. He blinked down at the white gloves and his eyes moved over his suit, the colors were inverted and he was oddly glowing, as if he had an white aura.

“Not half as weird as your hair man, or the eyes. Shit you look like a ghost.” Said Tucker and Danny turned to stare at him and then his eyes landed on the reflection in the screen behind him. The Spector looking back at Danny had snow white hair that was flowing lightly on the air, glowing green eyes, darker skin and a white DP logo on his chest where the sticker of his dad’s face had been.

Feeling dizzy Danny backed away from the reflection bumping in to Sam. “Wow Danny calm down, we can-“ She swore and Danny yelped as his feet sank in to the floor. “Tucker grab his arm.” Shouted Sam grabbing hold of Danny’s other arm.

“What the hell is going on!” Shouted Danny as his friends pulled him up for the first time. His legs merged in to a tail. Danny screamed and he didn’t blame his friends for letting go of him in fright. He’d hovered in midair hyper ventilating and running his hands through his hair. “This can’t be happening, it can’t be really.” He pulled his hands over his face and found himself seeing right through them. Letting out another yelp his feet returned.

Quickly Sam grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him in to a tight hug. Danny had been to panicked and afraid of what his parents would do to hear the words of comfort spilling out of her mouth. Tucker put his arms around the twos shoulders.

It had taken Danny a long time to calm down, his friends had been there to tell him everything he needed to hear. As he’d calmed and began to feel slightly normal, his pounding heart slowing down to a normal beat, the brilliant white lights had speared around him and washed over them all leaving human Danny to stand in the ghost’s place.

 

 

The video on the screen showed a lot of what happened if not everything, but it was the important part his parents saw and heard. When the video started looping Maddie reached out and pressed pause. The two adults stood silently watching the still screen for a moment. The older Jazz put a hand on Danny’s shoulder for moral support. She’d come up to the Ops center while they were watching the video and he was grateful for her presence.

After what seemed like an eternity Maddie finally spoke. “Why didn’t you tell us?” which was what Danny had predicted would be the first thing they ask.

Taking a deep breath Danny rubbed at his head trying to remember his logic of not telling them throughout the years. “At first it was because I told myself it had only been my imagination. You were happy the portal was working and got out of your gloom.” He said clearly remembering the praise he and his friends had recited for making the portal work.

“What did you do inside that made it work?” Asked Jack turning to look at Danny who shrugged.

“Tripped on some cables and hit an On switch.” He said matter off facktly. Thou his mom jerked as if he’d slapped her.

“The safety switch.” She breathed and turned around to look at him her eyes filled with tears.

Shrugging Danny rubbed his neck, he had the odd feeling of telling his parents he broke something and expecting to get punished. Instead they sounded shocked, speaking like they didn’t know what to say. “But why keep it secret for this long we could have hurt you son?” Asked Jack sounding hurt worse so than Maddie.

“You did.” Sighed Danny taking a bit satisfaction from their shocked expressions. Jazz pinched his arm and Danny lowered his eyes knowing that now was the time to tell his parents what he’d gone through. “At first I told myself it had just been a dream. Told myself that I was just clumsy when things phased through my fingers, or my foot phased through the ground making me trip. I told myself I was just imagining it when I accidentally turned invisible, be it all of me or just one body part, it was just me being tired from falling through my bed every morning when the alarm rang.”

Glancing up at his parents he ran his hands through his hair. “It took me two months to get any sort of control over my powers. It was also then I figured out what they were meant for. I had enough control by then to change form at will so you or anyone else wouldn’t know it was me.” He picked at his nails wishing he could do something with his hands. “I tried to tell you a couple of times but whenever I brought the subject up you started ranting on how bad ghosts were and what you were going to do to them. I couldn’t tell you so I hid the truth, learned how to deal with it and became the Phantom in order to stop all the ghosts from raking havoc on humans.” Danny stared at the floor not sure what more to say.

Stepping in to his field of vision Maddie reach out covering his hands with her. The tears rolled down Danny’s cheek as she lifted his chin to look up at her and Jack. There were tears in their eyes as well. “I’m sorry.” Said his mom her voice shaking.

“You shouldn’t apologies mom, I was the one who lied to you for year’s.” croaked Danny. “I rather have you hating my alter ego than me. I couldn’t live knowing you hated _me_.” He sniffed trying to whip away the tears. “I knew you would always accept me, even knowing what I am. You did the other times you found out but I had no control over telling you then and I wanted it to be me telling you not some future evil me or an accident caused by a circus freak. I wanted to tell you so many times.” By this point Danny was just trying to explain how much he’d wanted to tell them and how afraid he’d been, the words spilling out of him.

In the end he couldn’t make out the words between the hard sobs and both his parents pulled him in close hugging him, comforting him and telling him that they still loved him. “Thou what’s this about a future evil you. Good people don’t just wake up one day and decide to be evil.” Said Jack drawing a nervous laugh from Danny.

“It’s a long story.” He hiccupped feeling Jazz place her supportive hand on his back. It was a long story that he needed to tell them, all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we are, now he's told them and as expected they accepted him.  
> THe art is from last years Ectober and fits very well in to the flashback.


	9. Chapter 9

“I don’t understand, how can this Phantom be you and not you?” Asked Jack, he and Maddie were sitting with the four teenagers around the table in the Ops center. Danny let out a sigh and took a big gulp of his coffee. He and Valeri had been munching on his dad’s storage of snacks while he talked, Sam and Tucker had been satisfied with Sam’s green tea which she’d also given Maddie thou the woman hadn’t tasted it yet and was fiddling with the ear of the mug keeping busy.

Drawing a deep breath Danny tried to ignore the sharp pain in his side that he’d been to numb to feel earlier. Between him, Valeri and Tucker they had four broken ribs, a sprained ankle and wrist, and enough bruises to make a sizable galaxy painting. And Danny’s throat was raw from the wail and crying making explaining Dan Phantom to his parents for a second time torture.

“Back when we were doing the CAT test I got my hands on the answers, had I cheated Mr Lancer would have called for you to come to the ruins of Nasty Burger where Sam, Tucker and Jazz would be as well. The container with the Nasty sauce over heated and exploded killing all of you.” Danny looked at his friends, they had never heard the full story before that day. “Dan survived but blamed himself for everything. Vlad took him in and eventually the only thing he wanted was to get rid of the pain. Believing that his ghost half was the cause of all his suffering he asked Vlad to take it out.” Danny had seen his mom light up at that point in his story thinking she could separate him from his ghost half and turn him human again.

“All the pain and self-hatred he felt was the same his ghost half felt. Only he had no humanity left to stop him from taking everything out on the rest of the world. Dan ripped Vlad’s ghost half from him and the two merged.” Sighing Danny looked down in to his mug seeing his own reflection stare back at him, the odd blue and green eyes glowing dimly. “He killed his human half and left Vlad to tell the tail.”

“But you didn’t cheat at the CAT, no one died at the Nasty Burger. How can he still exist if he was never created?” Asked Tucker and Danny saw the agreeing nods from his parents approving the question.

“Temporal paradox.” Sighed Danny wishing he’d been in a Star Trek episode where everything would be alright at the end. “Phantom took one of the time medallions that you two dropped and merged it to his being. Just like he trapped mine to me. That’s how he exist outside of time and why I wasn’t able to return before it was too late. I had to get Vlad to remove the medallion first.”

“I don’t know about you but it looks like you returned in time. We are all here after all.” Said his dad placing an arm around Maddie.

Feeling the tears sting his eyes at the horrible memory Danny wiped at them and looked up at his parents. “I got back to the present in time to defeat Dan and trap him in a thermos but I couldn’t save you. The Nasty Burger blew up with you all strapped to the tank, if it hadn’t been for Clockwork pulling you out of time and reversing it to the moment when the choice was mine again, Dan would have won.”

Placing a hand on Danny’s shoulder Sam got him to look at her. He was sure she was going to be angry at him for keeping it all a secret, but like so often he was wrong about his friends capacity to forgive. “I’m sorry this happened, I wish I could have been there for you.”

Giving her a grateful smile Danny glanced over at Jazz. “You didn’t have to be, she was there, that’s when I found out that Jazz knew.” He turned to his parents. “Do you understand now what sort of danger Dan is. I don’t ever want to become him but there is always the possibility that I will.”

“But you won’t” Said Jazz and they all looked up at the silent observer. She hadn’t said a word thought Danny’s explanation but now she stepped forward.

“Is this where you tell us why my sister from the future got sent back in time by Clockwork?” Asked Danny still not sure if he should trust her.

Jazz took a deep breath and for a moment her neutral face came alive and she looked more like the lively Jazz of the present. “In my timeline there are a few things that difference from this one. The biggest being Tucker.”

“Me!” blanched Tucker.

“Yes you. I told you when I gave you Hotep Ra, that you were going to need his protection one day and when you did you had to protect Danny as well.” They all waited for Jazz to go on and she ran a hand through her hair, the same gesture Jazz always did when talking about something difficult. “What should have happened today was, Dan Phantom killing Tucker. He would have broken Valeri’s ribs, in my time he broke her arms and legs but let her live because he wanted to have an enemy he could play around with, like the one he had in his own timeline.” Valeri made a face and rubbed her arms letting out a slight shiver.

“My Danny found out like you that Tucker was dead, that’s why he ran powerless in to the fight and lost.” She stared in to Danny’s eyes. “You lost but he didn’t kill you. Instead he let you recover, and when you did he came back again crushing you. We developed the liquid energy to let you fight him but it wasn’t enough. We lost and the future Dan had come from became reality.”

Swallowing at the end of Jazz’s story Danny looked at the pale faces around the table, _had his parents survived? Had Sam? How long had Amity lasted?_ Shaking his head not wanting an answer to the questions he leveled his eyes on Jazz once more. “Then you must have a plan that lets us defeat him?” He asked, his hands were tight around the coffee mug and he could hear the ceramic cracking. If he could do anything to prevent Jazz future from coming to pass he would.

Scuffing Jazz lifted the bag she’d been carrying, placing it on the table. It was black with the Fenton logo in green on the front and fraying at the seams clearly having seen better days. “It isn’t my plan Danny, it’s yours.” She opened the bag and pulled out a suit.

There was a moment of tense silence as they all stared at the worn battle suit, it was completely black with a white neck and shoulders. He could see the protective padding throughout the suit, The white DP was made of a different material that seemed to glow. Jazz pulled out a pair of white boots and gloves, all reinforced for battle.

Lastly Jazz pulled out a long cylinder that looked like it was made from three Fenton Thermos. “This is how you defeat him.” Said Jazz removing the lid and shaking out the object within to land on the table.

Sam, Tucker and Danny all flung them self away from the object, Valeri reading their reactions took a cautious step back while Maddie and Jack looked at them in confusion. “What’s the matter with you three?” Asked Maddie reaching for the ornately carved sword-cane.

“Don’t touch it!” shouted the three friends and Maddie’s hand stopped hovering over the blade.

Danny turned hard glowing eyes on Jazz. “What the hell do you think you’re doing with that thing! Have you any idea of what sort of Ghost it is that possess it!” Danny could feel himself start to panic at the very thought of the Ripper possessing any of his friends and family. He had gone through enough fights against him to know that they always ended with them both getting hurt.

“Yes Brother. Who do you think it was that made you cross paths with it in Chicago.” The three friends gaped at her. “You two needed to meet early for you to adapt to his powers so that when this day came you wouldn’t be overcome by him but be able to fight using him.”

Maddie and Jack exchanged a look but it was Danny who spoke. “What about Bjorn and Gab and Cody? We’re they part of this plan as well?” He Growled and the mug in his hands finally broke spilling the last of the coffee on the floor followed by the ceramic shards.

They could all feel the static tenting in the room building focusing on Danny and Jazz. The redhead was the first to lower her eyes in shame. “No, that was not meant to happen. The sword was supposed to stay locked in Frostbite’s vault until we needed it. The others weren’t part of the plan and I did my best to take him down once I found out. But you had already run in to him by the time I tracked them down.”

Danny shook his head. “That ghost has done too much damage already, I’m not using him.” He declared giving the sword a venomous look, he could practically hear the ghost chuckling in his head.

Crossing her arms Jazz looked down on Danny, a stubborn expression on her face that told everyone she was right and Danny had no choice. “What is so bad with this weapon that you won’t use it to save your life and future?” Asked Maddie drawing Danny’s eyes.

The old instinct to tell a lie made him start formulate one before mentally kicking himself, he couldn’t keep lying to them, it wouldn’t keep them safe just blind. “In that sword lies the ghost of Jack the fucking Ripper, he will do anything to fulfill his obsession of murder and he needs a human host to do that. And the only way I know of getting rid of him is getting stabbed by that blade.” He turned his hard eyes on Jazz. “I’m not doing that again, it hurts and takes forever to heal.”

Jazz scoffed. “Whiner, didn’t you hear what I told you, the Ripper is still possessing your subconscious, stabbing yourself with his bane shattered his conscious but he’s still there influencing you. If you don’t take control over him now he will take control over you again and the next time Sam might not be there to shoot you down, people will die.”

“Or I might already be dead judging by your story. Why invite more evil to this Fight, isn’t Dan enough.” Hissed Danny ignoring the itch to trace the silver inlay of the cane.

“The Ripper is just as much a weapon as your ghost-ray’s, Dan uses them for evil you use them for good.” She still sounded cold and detached as if the possibility that anyone else would get hurt didn’t matter.

“Ghosts are all evil, they only think of fulfilling their obsession and feeding on human emotions. It is near impossible to use one who’s obsession don’t aline with ones own goals. If this ghost is Jack the Ripper then who knows what it’s obsession is right now.” Said Maddie giving her expert opinion to the argument.

Both ghost-hunters took an involuntary steep back as the four teenagers glared at them. “Let’s put somethings straight right now.” Said Tucker coldly serious. “First of, a ghost don’t follow his obsession blindly.”

“Second,” Continued Sam her chin raised. “They aren’t animals only going after human emotions to stay alive, they have feelings as complex as any you might experience, with way more baggage than us humans.”

“And thirdly.” Said Valeri having mastered the cold threatening voice over the years. “Danny’s been a ghost for the better part of three years and all he ever did was risk his life and limb to save all of us, including us who tried to kill him.”

“Besides nothing would please me more right now than to slice Phantoms neck. However I guess I can settle for a future versions of him seeing as I can’t very well kill this host.” Said a dark voice speaking with a British accent. Danny rolled his eyes at the eager ghosts attempts at taking full control of him.

“Shut up Jackass.” He grumbled rubbing his ears holding the sword-cane in his free hand. The air in the room got a sudden sweet taste as they all stared at him and the sword.

“Danny?” asked Sam cautiously reaching for her wrist ray. She was going to shoot him if he even looked at her the wrong way, if he looked at anyone the wrong way. And that was exactly what he wanted.

“Don’t worry I have him chained.” Said Danny giving her a soft smile his eyes were back to their green and blue color, thou they had shifted to red as the Ripper spoke.


	10. Chapter 10

Pulling on the battle suit Danny couldn’t help but feel like someone was walking over his grave. The suit was worn and patched, the extra protection gave a comfortable weight to the suit without taking away his movability. “ _Am I the only one noticing that you clearly don’t grow at all._ ” Hummed the voice inside Danny’s head.

Having tried to ignore it while in the others presence Danny sighed and turned his attention on the ghost in his head. “Really that’s what you notice about this suit, that it’s a perfect fit for me.” Danny sat down on his computer chair tugging on the light boots.

“ _Come on lad, you are smarter than that. The suit is from the future meaning that older you wore it but it fits young you perfectly, not even a bit baggy._ ” Sighed The Ripper pressing against the mental barriers that held him in check.

“So what, I’ll always look the same. Some people might think of that as a blessing.” Sighed Danny tilting his head to hear the argument going on upstairs. His friends and family were trying to device a plan for how to take down Dan. Danny had listened to them in the beginning but gotten bored after a while when they couldn’t agree on anything.

It was clear to Danny what they had to do, or rather what he had to do. Had he still got his full powers he would have been confident in his ability to take Dan down, he was stronger than he’d been the last time and was much more experienced now. What he needed was another arrogant ghost strong enough to go toe to toe with Dan and preferably a competent backup.

Standing up Danny tied the arms of the suit around his waist, shoving the gloves in to a deep pocket and securing the sword-cane to his belt. ” _This plan won’t work._ ” Sang the ripper in his mind. Ignoring the ghost Danny grabbed the skateboarded and walked down the stairs. The people who were still in the living room fell quiet staring at him.

About to simply go past them and leave a thought struck Danny and he turned to the room in general, his eyes landing on Dash. “If they want to know where I’ve gone, just say that I’m talking to Plasmius, they’ll understand.” A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and Danny left the house without another word.

Dropping the skateboard on the sidewalk Danny kicked off zooming down the nearly empty streets. People were staying at home or at friends under the ghost shield. The only people crazy enough to be out were news reporters, politicians and those whose job it was to be out, leaving Danny virtually alone. Then again he wasn’t truly alone.

The ghost in his head took a sick kind of pleasure in telling Danny why his plan was going to end up with either his or his friends death. If he had a choice in the matter they would all die but then he needed a host to keep on affecting the human world so he couldn’t kill Danny. “I guess that’s some comfort for me then.” Grumbled Danny turning down the main road heading for the big building at the end of the street.

The green dome over Amity Park luckily ended on the other side of the town hall. Danny hadn’t had a problem with the ghost shield before but wasn’t sure how it would react to him now. Not that he wanted to try and go through the barrier anyways, Dan was on the other side, or in the ghost zone, biding his time.

Reaching the building Danny flipped the skateboard in to his hand and took a deep breath. He hadn’t seen Vlad since he tried to clone him and had done his best to avoid him ever since. Walking in to the building Danny found the entrance filled with people, all shouting at the guards that were holding them off. “ _I guess this is where the flock of sheep’s run to when trouble arise._ ” Hummed The Ripper and Danny licked his lips tasting the sweet fear lacing through the emotions of the crowd.

“Stop it.” Hissed Danny somehow sure that the ghost was trying to make him do something stupid. Or dangerous, like murder a building full of people. Shoving his hand in to his pockets to keep them away from the heavy sword at his hip Danny elbowed his way through the crowd until he reached the metal detectors where the guards were holding people back.

“Sorry kid but you have to stay back like the rest of these folks.” Said a guard putting out a hand to stop Danny. He did slow down taking a deep breath consuming the emotions in the room before reaching for the familiar feeling of turning his body intangible.

The power wasn’t there, but instead Danny felt the ghost reach out. “ _Let me give you a hand with that lad._ ” Grinned the ripper, his presence at Danny’s back reminding him of a cloak of power, something Sam had told them about but he’d only experienced when holding the Reality Gauntlet in his hand.

Walking straight through the guard and metal detectors Danny set of the alarms and there was a lot of shouting, panicked screams from the normal humans that had seen him and shouts from the guards that fell back on their job of protecting the Mayor and everyone else in the building. “Freeze, don’t take another step!” Shouted the guards over and over again as Danny walked up the stairs still intangible.

The hairs at the back of his neck stood up and Danny turned around raising the shield bracelet on his left wrist taking the blast from an ecto-gun on it. The collective intake of breath drew a smile from Danny who leveled his glowing red eyes on the guard who’d fired at him. “Don’t try that again.” He warned, his voice once again deeper and with the hint of an accent.

Turning his back at them Danny walked the last steps up the stairs and turned out of sight of the audience before letting out the nervous breath he’d been holding. There was a slow clap in his mind as the ghost applauded him. _“Well done my boy. Looks like you have the makings of a good minion in you. Sure you don’t want to go back down there an slaughter a few of them, just to make sure they got the message.”_

Shaking his head Danny forced himself to separate his thoughts from that of the ghosts. “Keep your bloodthirsty to yourself.” He hissed and headed for Vlad’s office.

Walking past the empty secretary’s desk Danny could hear people talking up ahead. It didn’t take him long to figure out that the ones talking were those people in Amity Park who held some sort of power, the rich and influential. Pushing the door to the office open Danny’s ears was assaulted with the raised voices of at least twenty people demanding that the mayor do something about the current crisis, or as it were in most cases, shouting at each other thinking their problem more important than the others.

Vlad was standing in front of his desk a hand covering his face as he took the onslaught of complaints and demands. The tension in the room was palpable and the lack of air made it warm. Thou a lot of the heat dripping of Vlad, his annoyance threatening to boil over.

Entering the room Danny forced himself to remain calm, to not hit the first person who bumped in to him or rip the tongue out of the next person who screamed in to his ear. The Ripper was all too willing to draw blood, practically drawling at the thought of what he could do in that room. It frightened Danny to know how easy it would be to let lose the monster and turn the elegantly furnished room in to a blood bath.

 _“You think that’s scary lad. You just walked in to a crowd completely visible and no one has yet to see you.”_ Mused the ripper awed by the single power Danny hadn’t gotten from the portal accident.

Stopping before Vlad Danny waited glaring up at the mans face. It took him a moment to realize that Danny was there and he lowered his hand to look at him. “Well isn’t this a-“ Danny cut of his speech before the man could even get to the insult. The punch took Vlad and nearly knocked him to the floor.

The room turned quiet as the crowd watched the two. “Don’t give me your condescending speech.” Growled Danny. This was all Vlad’s fault to begin with, he’d taken Danny’s powers, he’d cripple their ability to defend Amity Park from Dan, and he wasn’t even sorry.

Lifting his head Vlad rubbed the growing bruise on his jaw. “You little-“ Danny swung his fist again, only this time Vlad was ready for it and caught the blow before it connected. “-Piece of shit.” Hissed Vlad turning Danny’s hand in a painful angle. “What makes you think you can just walk in here and hit me. Have you no manners.”

“I waited for you to see it coming, didn’t I.” snarled Danny jerking his hand out of Vlad’s grip. There was a whisper going through the crowd and someone cleared their throat to speak but no words came. “I also came here to tell you that Dan Phantom isn’t just my problem, he is yours as well.” Hissed Danny drawing a confused look from Vlad.

“Explain yourself Daniel. Can’t you see that I’m in a meeting.” Vlad waved at the crowd who were listening intently wanting to know how their mayor could have something to do with this whole situation.

Crossing his arms over his chest Danny gave the old man a superior look which could rival his. “You sure you want everyone to know about Plasmius?” asked Danny glancing over his shoulder at the onlookers. “You want me to tell them all how this is your fault.” He added seeing shocked faces and hearing the speculating whispers.

“Seems like you’ve learned the game.” Hissed Vlad low enough for only Danny to hear. In a normal volume he addressed the rest of the people present. “Gentlemen, and ladies, I will return to you with an answer in due time. Until then, I advise you all to follow the basic protocols for ghost invasions. Go bother the Fenton’s.”

There were protests from the crowd, someone asking why he bothered with a child, another who tried to start up the conversation again. All of them were ushered out by Vlad’s secretary who didn’t take no for an answer. Once the crowd was out of the room and the doors were closed Vlad turned his hard eyes on Danny. “You got some nerve bringing up Plasmius in front of these people. Do you want me to tell them all that you are their hated hero who hasn’t shown his face around town for a month?” Growled Vlad.

Danny shrugged turning to walk around the room, he was restless. “You can tell them whatever you want. That secret was blown hours ago in front of half the school. By tomorrow I bet the whole town will know.” He turned to face Vlad. “The question is if they are going to know about you by then?”

The usual collected expression on Vlad’s face twisted in to a fanged snarl. “You wouldn’t dare. I would tear out your tongue before you could even start the sentence.” The man’s hands were gripping the wood of his desk so hard that it creaked in protest.

“And you would harm everyone I care about. I know, I know.” Sighed Danny lowering the mental barrier a bit to let the Ripper ghosts voice come through his. “ _What you don’t see old chap, is that the lads already putting everyone in danger just being here. Imagen me joining that Dan Phantom instead of fighting him, then you’d all be in trouble.”_ Closing his eyes Danny had to work hard to silence the ghost.

Narrowing his eyes on Danny Vlad took in the different colored eyes and blank expression, the twitching fingers and restlessness.  “Have you let yourself get possessed?” He asked drawing a laugh from both Danny and the Ripper.

“Let! He’s been hiding in my subconscious for months! I have to let him in now because of what you did to me!” shouted Danny, all the pain, anger and feelings of betrayal bubbling to the surface. “I was starting to trust you, you know! Had someone said to me that you were going to try and clone me again, I would have gone to you first instead of jumping the gun.”

Vlad made a face as if what Danny was saying affected him. “I thought you had changed, I thought you deserved the benefits of a doubt. And I was WRONG!” the last words were Growled out together with the Ripper who didn’t seem to want control at that moment, shying away from the raw emotions that were overwhelming Danny. “Not only did you betray me you broke my ghost half, forcing me to trust a murder who almost killed Danielle! All of this so that there might be a chance in hell of defeating Dan, who by the way is both mine and your ghost half fused together with ten years of experience to boot. And all of this is your fault!” Danny’s voice broke as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Holding his head low Vlad was quiet for a moment before raising his head to face Danny. “I never meant to take your powers from you Daniel. You were not supposed to be harmed.”

“But I was.” Hissed Danny rubbing at his cheeks to stop the tears that were still falling. “It wasn’t before you betrayed me that I realized that I had actually trusted you.” He let out a half hearted laugh. “Ha, can you believe that, I trusted my nemesis, the guy who tried to kill my dad and steal my mom’s heart. I thought of you as a person I could come to with problems that I couldn’t bring up to my parents. For God’s sake I came to you after the thing with Peabody, not them. You.”

Biting his lip Vlad nodded and Danny wished he could understand what he’d made him feel like. He could have taken it if Vlad had pulled an elaborate scheme to win his mom over or force his dad out of the picture. That was what he expected of the man. What he hadn’t expected was being stuck in a cloning chamber when he was weak and hurting and see the man he’d began to trust make him relive some of his worst memories.

“Is there anything else you want to say?” asked Vlad his gaze following every move Danny made.

Taking a shaking breath Danny nodded. “I need your help defeating Dan.” He confessed preparing himself for Vlad’s next arrogant comment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest with you all, I didn’t even know how much Vlad had hurt Danny until I wrote this. Man I spent so much time building the relationship to something like the good Uncle Vlad that it hurt destroying it. Also this chapter has been 5 months in the making, school and other interests came in the way.


	11. Chapter 11

Teleporting in to the Fenton Ops center Danny and Vlad set of the alarm making everyone in the room jump for their guns. “Wow, that’s a warm welcome back.” Said Danny, walking over to the fridge grabbing a can of Cola.

“Where the hell have you been?” asked Valeri, her armor retracting slower than it had formed.

“And what’s he doing here?” Hissed Sam, glaring at Vlad who was leaning against a panel looking like the guns still aimed at him were nothing more than toys.

Putting his back against the fridge Danny opened his can, the Ripper was trying to distract him by whispering poisonous words in his ears. “I went out to get some fighting power. Have you come up with a plan yet?”

They all exchanged looks between glares sent Vlad’s way. Maddie was the one who spoke. “There is a lot of variables to account for. We don’t even know where he’ll attack next or how to destroy him.”

“We don’t have to destroy him, capturing him is easier.” Protested Sam.

“If we turn off the ghost shield in a sector, we can control where he’ll attack next.” Explained Jazz.

“And risk everyone’s safety! Better hunt him down.” Huffed Valeri, her armbands glowing.

“Yeah sure, Why not invite the ghost zone’s greatest hunter while we are at it. Hell Danny’s already invited his nemesis to this fight, let’s invite some more and make it an even fight.” Huffed Tucker waving one of his phones.

Sipping at his Cola as the other talked over each other, trying to make their plan the one to be used, Danny meet Vlad’s eyes. The man gestured at Danny to take command. Rolling his eyes Danny let the his friends and loved ones shout at each other a bit more before putting a stop to the fighting.

Walking over to the table they were all gathered around Danny picked up a marker and drew a circle on the map they’d rolled out. The discussions died out as they frowned down on it. “Isn’t that the boomed out shopping mall?” asked Tucker, zooming in on the same place on his phone.

“The one that we nearly died in? It’s outside the ghost shield!” Exclaimed Sam, she glared at Danny. “Why there?”

“You are not going outside the shield! There’s no way I and your mother can protect you out there!” Protested Jack, slamming his hand on the table making pen and empty cans jump.

“ _Oh so protective they are of your hide, wasn’t it only yesterday they tried to skin you alive._ ” Snickered the Ripper.

“Oh shut up!” grumbled Danny, getting reproachful looks from everyone at the table.

“Danny!” Said Maddie sounding shocked.

“Not you.” Said Danny waving her off. “Thou you could all be quiet and listen to the plan.” He met everyone’s eyes. “Only three of you have ever fought Dan before and judging by what I know none of you have ever defeated him.”

“And you think bringing in him is going to help?” Said Valeri, waving at Vlad.

Sighing Danny counted backwards from ten pushing back his emotions and the Rippers taunts. “You know how I took him down the first time?” They were all silent and Danny nodded. “I learned to use my ghostly wail, something he didn’t know was going to happen. Right now he knows all our powers so the only thing we can do is out smart him. This guy is one way in which we can be unpredictable in.” Said Danny tapping the sword-cane at his hip. “The other is leaving the safety of the ghost shield before he breaks it. Also we can cut down on the danger to bystanders.”

“Why this place. There isn’t many places around there to lay down a trap for a ghost?” Said Jack, looking over Tucker’s shoulder at the phone and the map.

“But it’s already destroyed and the ground is unstable so the offices around the place have been moved so that the buildings can be demolished. The planes are on the table for there to be a new mall built and offices as well as a concert hall. All that’s missing is the right architect.” Said Vlad, having created a duplicate who was pouring him a cup of some fancy coffee.

“Among many other reasons.” Agreed Danny. “Right now we have to work fast and get the traps in place as well as you guys.”

“What sort of traps?” asked Sam and Valeri at the same time, they exchanged a look then shrugged.

“Blood Blossom traps and ones that are controlled by remote. Anything that gets triggered by ghosts will be triggered by Danny and Vlad as well.” Said Jazz. Everyone looked at her.

“How did you know I was going to say Blood Blossom traps?” asked Danny getting an eerie feeling, like someone walking over his grave again.

“ _Is it so hard to guess lad, a hundred years ago all ghost hunters used Blood Blossom in one form or another. Made you sneeze like hell walking by one of those hunters. Also told you who to slice up first._ ” Mused the ripper making Danny roll his eyes.¨

Jazz meet Danny’s eyes. “You want Maddie to be on this roof and Jack to support her with the Fenton nine tail. Valeri has the sky, Vlad keeps to the shadow. Sam and Tucker is ground support controlling the traps.”

The room was silent as people looked from Danny to Jazz. “He had the same plan didn’t he?” asked Danny his fingers sliding over the worn fabric of the suit.

“Great minds think alike, little brother.” Jazz held Danny’s eye with her gaze. “This plan is the same my Danny made.”

“Is it going to work?” asked Maddie her hands balled up in to fists.

Rolling her eyes Jazz crossed her arms. “I’m from the future but not this future. Things have already changed enough for there to be a slight difference to the course of events.”

“Is it just me or does anyone else also get a headache from time travel.” Grumbled Tucker.

Snickering Danny nodded. “Try not to think too much about it or we’ll start a time paradox.” Smiled Danny picking up a blank piece of paper, drawing squares on it.

“I rather have Pandora’s Box on our side.” Grumbled Tucker, showing Danny the closer image on his phone over the aria he was making a drawing off. “You think we’ve got time to give her a visit.”

Sam leaned in closer pointing to a square on the hand drawn map. “This is the tallest building.” She told Danny. “And going in to the Ghost Zone would be suicide, Dan jumped in there to get away.”

“Don’t you have any allies in this world we could call on. I still feel like we are outnumbered with only the five of us.” Noted Valeri watching Danny draw in details on his map.

“There are eight of us here.” Said Jack counting them all.

“No offence Dad but you couldn’t even hit the side of a barn with a homing gun. Tucker is teck support, and Jazz is better at getting in to a ghosts head than taking them out in a full out battle.” Explained Danny. Turning to Sam and Tucker he started making small circles. “Can you two combine a trigger with those smoke bombs, I want them placed here and here.”

“Don’t use weak stuff like Blood Blossom, ectoranium will work like acid on ecto based entities like this ghost.” Said Vlad sipping at his coffee.

The teenagers looked up at Vlad and then the three glanced at Danny who’d turned back to his map. “It stings and hurts like hell, but Blood Blossom will weaken the ghost and have longer lasting effects.” Explained Danny. “Mom you’ll take this roof, Sam, I need the bullet in your green house. Tucker take out the cooler packs from your server, they are going to come in use as traps, Dad you get all the power cables you can find and we’ll rig it all up to trap Phantom.”

Vlad hummed from where he was sitting drawing an agreeing noise from the ghost in Danny’s mind. “ _No matter how much you plan, you can’t control me when I get out._ ” Hissed the Ripper sending cold shivers down Danny’s back.

“Maybe not but this is the best we got.” Thought Danny hoping that his preparation beforehand would be enough to surprise and take Dan down.


	12. Chapter 12

Sitting down on what was left of the malls front wall Danny bent his head pressing his hands against his eyes. Some hours had past since they had all set out to booby-trap the area and Danny had worked his brain in to overdrive trying to think of every possibility as well as keep his own thoughts straight from the Rippers.

The ghost had begun singing morbid songs in his head, with lyrics telling Danny how he was going to fail and what was going to happen to his friends and family as soon as he had control. The singing had turned in to a background noise and Danny hadn’t even realized that he was humming along until Valeri asked what song he was singing.

That’s when Danny decided to take a break and sat down in the middle of the open area that was soon going to become a battlefield. More than anything Danny wanted to crawl in to a dark corner with a bed and go to sleep. But sleep was dangerous, the ripper had already taken control of him once when he was asleep and there was no chance in hell he was going to let the ghost take over and kill everyone he cared about.

Those same people were working tirelessly modifying harmless inventions in to weapons of destructions. Neither his nor Sam’s inventions were meant to hurt anyone. Disarmed and knock them out, yes, but not kill or destroy. He’d invented the cooling diskettes for Tucker’s servers to make sure they never overheated when he was hard at his hacking and coding. Now he was going to use it to hopefully trap Phantom, maybe even destroy him if he was lucky.

Gentle fingers ran over Danny’s neck. Letting out a moan he leaned against the warm body sitting down beside him. The fingers plucked out the Fenton Phone from his ear and Danny could hear the steady beat of Sam’s heart beside him. “How are you doing?” she asked, her soft fingers finding the right spots to press on his neck, toning down his headache.

“I’m second guessing my every thought and have my personal broken radio singing _Suicide is painless_ making me want to jump of the nearest roof just to show him wrong.” He rested his head against Sam’s shoulder breathing in the green sent of her clothes, she always smelled of her greenhouse.

“Is he that bad?” she asked leaning her head on his. Danny could still hear the others working and talking over the Fenton Phone.

“I don’t know. First time I had him in my head it was like we were the same being. I didn’t know what I wanted back then, I couldn’t control it or keep us separated, all I could do was aim him.” Said Danny, getting images of himself attacking his friends back in Chicago, from the ghost. He mixed in more images of himself attacking none to watchful women, stalking them through dark alleys and painting walls red with blood. “Now I know which are his thoughts and which are mine. Unfortunately I don’t know if I liked it better not knowing he was there than having him singing around my brain.” He waved a hand at his head.

“You can just…” she hesitated and Danny understood why.

“Yeah I could just stab myself in the leg and have him return to my subconscious again.” Straightening Danny looked at Sam. She had dark bags under her eyes and was missing her makeup.

“But you would be back to being powerless.” She said meeting his eyes. “And everyone in Amity will know that you are Danny Phantom by this time tomorrow.”

Danny nodded running his fingers through his hair. “In a week the GIW will be on my tail. I might as well jump in to the Ghost Zone and become a permanent resident in the Far Frozen.” He shivered. “Maybe they can help fix me.”

“We should go to them after this is over.” Suggested Sam. Danny nodded and took her hand lacing her fingers with hers.

They sat in silence for a moment watching Jack run across the open market area a spool of wires under one arm. Vlad had taken up a seat by a closed café and was swiping around on his phone. Valeri was working with Jazz and Maddie placing traps high up on the buildings. Tucker had a iPad in his hands, typing at the screen as he walked towards the two of them.

Reaching them Tucker sat down on Danny’s other side with a huff. “You know I could probably make a living off this sort of work. Installing home ghost defenses. There’s a market for it around here.”

“Sign me up. I need a job for the summer.” Smiled Danny.

“You could be the Ginny pig.” Teased Sam, elbowing Danny.

“There’s probably a market for your gardening business. I wouldn’t be able to walk down the street in the spring or summer, but hey nether would any ghosts.” Leered Danny, elbowing Sam back.

“Oh God NO. Those roses are so hard to make grow outside of their native habitat I wouldn’t have any time for myself. Besides, I was thinking of growing one in the garden and selling the blossoms as a tasty salads ingredient.” Grinned Sam twirling the hairpin between her fingers.

“Might get some people to start eating vegetables.” Smiled Danny, watching his dad stumble over the wire he was dragging behind him.

“You are never getting me to eat those flowers again. My stomach tries to run away every time I think of them. I think it’s traumatized.” Smiled Tucker. “Hey you know what we should do when this is all over?”

“Sleep for a week.” Said Danny.

“Take a bath.” Said Sam, both looked at Tucker who was shaking his head.

“Barricade ourselves in Danny’s room and finish watching all the Star Wars movies, in the right order and after that we’ll sleep for a week and probably take a bath as well because we’ll be stinking like pigs.” Danny elbowed Tucker and Sam slapped him lightly on the shoulder calling him a pig. “No but seriously, it would be something to look forwards to.”

“Yeah it would.” Agreed Danny, he shivered and they all saw his breath escape his mouth. Standing Danny put the Fenton Phone back in to his ear. His friends jumped up and scrambled away. “Show time everyone!” he called in to the communicator shrugging in to the battle suit.

On the other side of the market square Vlad got up, the dark rings washing over him changing his pale pink skin to pale blue, his white hair turned black and the blue eyes disappeared in to a sea of red. Danny wished he could have changed just as dramatically as Vlad, all he could do however was zip up the battle suit and tug on his gloves.

Coming over to him Vlad hovered by Danny’s side. “You ready for this little badger?”

Grabbing the sword-cane from his belt Danny took a deep breath reaching for the ghost power within him. He found the ripper thrusting his power forward and with it his own conscious. For a moment Danny felt like he was watching the world around him through a pair of binoculars. “ _And you can take or leave it if you please-_ “ Sang the ghost drawing the sword.

The hairs on the back of Danny’s neck tried to crawl up his scalp. Side stepping in an almost nonchalant way, Danny avoided the ecto-blast burning through the air where he’d been standing. Vlad spun around and disappeared.

“Well, Well, Well. Looks like the old man did the smart think and ran.” Sneered Dan hovering high above Danny. “To bad you couldn’t be as smart.” He flung another ecto-blast at Danny who whipped out the sword catching the blast on the blade.

“The old Fruitloop has his orders. Now are you coming down here to dance or does she have to shoot you down.” Leered Danny, scraping the sword tip against the ground drawing sparks.

Dan’s expression shifted. “Since when did the Fruitloop take orders from you?” He made a duplicate who turned his attention towards Valeri and her howling guns.

Charging a ghost-ray in his left hand Danny shrugged. “Since I asked nicely.” He grinned jumping in to the air.

In all the battles Danny had fought he had never been so disconnected. Somehow he felt like he was playing a videogame only able to control half of his attacks while someone else went after Dan with an animal like hunger.

More than once did he get Dan in to one of his traps. Hadn’t it been for The Ripper ghost’s speed Danny would have taken a lot of hit in the back or found his skull smashed against a brick wall. Unfortunately he wasn’t fast enough to avoid some of the hits.

Vlad picked of Dan’s duplicate as they tried to go after Danny’s friends and family. Valeri joined up with him when the copies got smart. Dan himself also got smart when he realized that Danny had the whole area booby-trapped forcing him to move out of the reach of the traps.

They crashed in to an abandoned office building taking part of the third floor with them. Danny managed to separate himself from Dan who tore The Ripper’s sword-seethe from his left hand. “You finally found a way to fight me fairly. Eight of you against me. Too bad you aren’t strong enough to fight me with your own powers.”

The two exchanged blows before Danny was sent in to a wall. Thankfully he’d learned from his mistakes and turned intangible before the wall slammed him in the face. Dan came after him, that evil glint in his eyes. “It’s good to know that you are still crappy at math.” Jeered Danny, swinging the sword at the ghost.

Dan caught the sword on the seethe and swung a fist at Danny’s jaw striking ice. “I’m sorry runt! I meant to say seven and two halves of broken ghosts.” They pushed away from each other swinging their weapons, guarding the attacks.

Grinning Danny exchanged a few blows. “Nin then, by the way you are counting.” He flashed a ghost-ray in Dan’s face and jumped out of the way.

 Danielle knew when to make her entrance slamming an ecto-sphere in to Dan that sent him down to the basement.

Diving after their cworal, never letting him get a moments rest, Danny felt like he was losing his grip on something and the next thing he knew The Rippers sword flashed dangerously close to Danielle before slicing Dan’s hand in half.

The ghost scream, his voice hitting the right pitch to knock Danny and Danielle out of the air with a wail. They would have returned the wail but being crushed by Dan’s was hindering them from drawing enough air.

The wail made cables break of sending sparks flying, catching fire on to the exposed wood and whatever else there was in the walls. One of the cables struck Danny and suddenly he was trapped in a glass box. It was as if he was stuck inside his head watching things happen with no ability to do anything about it.

Sinking his sword in to Danielle’s foot energy surged through him. Opening his mouth a wail erupted from his throat, while a scream escaped Danielle’s. She clawed at Danny’s hand as he narrowed his eyes on Phantom shifting the power in to speed flinging himself at the prey.

They hit the wall and grappled flying up through the stories, clawing at each other. Danny’s right hand turned to ice, his fingertips growing in to claws as he slashed at Phantom ignoring the blows the ghost landed on him. The Ripper slashed and gauged at his target until he scraped the vibrating center of the ghost’s being.

He smiled grabbing Phantom’s core in his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I don’t like writing fighting scenes and most of this story is fights, had it been a cartoon there would have been a lot of cool shots, just try and imagen it. Anyhow we are coming up on the end of this story, I can’t say that it’s one of my greatest works but it’s important for the series final.


	13. Chapter 13

Tears ran down Danielle’s cheeks as she shakenly crawled towards the hole in the roof. Peering up through the smoke and falling rubble she saw the bulky form of Phantom fighting with what had been her cuisine. She’d seen the change in Danny’s fighting, he’d stopped his calculated blows and tactics as he fought. He like Phantom had fought like animals. No, like ghosts.

But he’d still been in there, up until the point the power cable touched him and the pin point red glow in his eyes grew to change the color of his irises. She’d seen the red eyes before, glowing in Cody’s face as he wielded the sword and sliced up her guts.

Seeing The Ripper’s eyes turn on her, his shadows growing darker, Danielle gulped. The pain of the sword sinking into her flesh drew a high pitched scream from her throat. Danny’s wail clashed with Phantoms and Danielle found herself falling to the ground ears ringing and eyes filled with tears. She unwillingly returned to her human form and Danny set of.

Staring up at the fighters Danielle reached for her powers changing back into her ghost form, raising her arm she charged a ghost ray. Taking aim she saw The Ripper claw out Phantoms core, a glowing oval thing that fit in to Danny’s clawed hand. He grinned at Dan who grabbed Danny’s head in the same way.

Letting go of the ghost-ray Danielle watched it cut through the smoke-filled air hitting her target. Danny dropped the sword that had been in the hand she hit. She saw the red eyes turn towards her as she pushed herself up in to the air. The pin prick of green light in Danny’s eyes grew larger.

Danny gritted his teeth’s and letting go of Phantom’s core he grabbed the ghost’s hands pressing hard at it. Twisting his body Danny threw Phantom in Danielle’s direction. She had a ghost-sphere charged in her hands slamming it in to Phantom knocking the half dead ghost back to Danny.

Diving at Dan, Danny knocked him down again, past Danielle and in to the burning basement. The two met in the middle of the building as smoke and flames rose around them. “It’s over.” Said Danielle her hand’s glowing with charging ghost powers.

Danny’s face was twitching but she could see that it was Danny she was talking to and not other guy. His eyes flickered down to her bleeding foot. “I’m s-“ his words were cut off as an ecto-rope came through the smoke wrapping around Danny’s leg. “Get out!” he told her before being dragged down into the complete darkness under them.

“No Danny!” shouted Danielle, diving after him only to get hit by a ecto-ray that threw her through a wall and in to the shockingly fresh air.

Danielle tried to break the fall, but she was tired and out of power. Hitting the cobblestoned market square she slid across it before coming to a halt, the white rings turning her back to a weak human.

Rolling over on to her back Danielle drew deep breaths coughing up the smoke she’d breathed in. The sound of feet hitting the ground reached her ears through and a moment later Sam was sliding to a halt beside her.

“Danielle!” Shouted the older girl sounding both shocked and relived at the sight of her.

The rest of the gang came to a halt around her, Maddie sunk down on her knees beside Sam. “Christ Danielle you okay?!” she exclaimed.

“Hi Mrs F. Did you see what hit me. I sure didn’t.” Smiled Danielle rubbing her back. “Feels like a burn.” She grumbled slowly pushing herself to sit up.

Valeri knelt down and reached out a hand to help Danielle up on to her feet. Shaking her head Danielle turned her eyes on the burning building. “My foot’s hurt.” She muttered.

“Danielle, what are you doing here?” asked Tucker, the flames were reflecting in his glasses.

“Lending a hand.” She said. “You’ve seen Danny come out yet. We had Phantom beat.” Danielle had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Reaching up to Valeri she accepted the help up staying of her bleeding foot.

Sam saw the blood dripping from her shoe and moved in close to Danielle, swinging her arm over her shoulder. “There’s a bench over there, let have a look at your foot.” She said nodding towards a bench further away from the burning building and danger.

“We haven’t seen Danny yet, he’s still inside.” Said Valeri, she and Tucker followed them over to the bench. The three adults stood frozen to the spot watching the flames burst through the bottom floor windows. Danielle thought she could see something green flash among the flames.

Sitting down on the bench, her leg stretched out Danielle saw Vlad hover high above them. Something about the indifferent expression on the man’s face made her sick. He could help Danny, he could go into the burning building without being harmed. Yet her he floated safely away from the battle and danger. Why?

Pulling out a first aid kit from her backpack Sam’s eyes flicker towards the building. Danielle could see the same worry on the other’s faces, and it made her angry. Sure they couldn’t go in to a burning building but doing nothing wasn’t what she expected from them. “Aren’t you going to do something?” she asked.

Sam, Tucker and Valeri exchanged a look, Valeri was the one who spoke while Sam removed Danielle’s shoe. “We tried. Danny told us to stay away. Said it was to dangerous.” Her hands balled in to fists the lights on her armor glowing bright red.

Blinking at the three Danielle, couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “And you are just going to stay here. Since when did you listening to orders like that!” Shouted Danielle turning to Vlad. “Hey! VLAD! GET HIM OUT OF THERE!”

Vlad turned his red eyes to Danielle before returning them to stare at the flames as the second store windows blew out. Growling Danielle reached for her powers, the ring of light forming around her waist and split. The light didn’t make it all the way and she felt the power slip between her fingers.

Her head spun slightly and her vision blurred until she let go of the power completely. “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!” She screamed up at her dad. Vlad turned his eyes on her again, rolled them and flew towards the building.

Sam’s fingers were shaking as she removed Danielle’s socks. They were all staring at Vlad as he reached the building. Things seemed to slow down for a moment before, they all saw the flames burst through the rest of the windows for a moment flaring bright green. Vlad was flung back as a frightening gust of wind hit them all.

Recovering from the unexpected explosion Vlad flew straight at the building again and had almost reached it when a loud rumble was heard. The whole thing collapse throwing up smoke and as if a spell was broken Jack and Maddie ran forward followed by Sam and Valeri.

There was a sort of ringing in Danielle’s ears. She watched them all reach the collapsed building and start digging through it. They called out for Danny, each shout and cry raising in pitch as their voices cracked. Vlad dove through the rubble turning intangible.

It was dark by the time they found Danny, or what was left of him. The cries were heart wrenching and tears ran down Danielle’s cheeks, she felt numb. Sam was held up by a crying Valeri. Trying to see what they were looking at Danielle found her eyes unable to focus on it. Vlad placed the body on the ground covering it with his cloak.

He walked over to Danielle returning to his human form tucking something into his pocket. “It’s over. Time to leave.” He lifted Danielle into his arms, teleporting them away from the sad scene.

“Why?” she asked her voice sounding distant and weird as if it didn’t belong to her. She shivered in the sudden cold and held on to Vlad for warmth.

The mans hands tightened on her and she saw him for the first time in her life blink tears out of his eyes. Burying her face in his broad chest Danielle whipped her eyes on his expensive suit. “Why didn’t you save him.” She choked trying to remember Danny’s smiling face and not the charred teeth of what remained of him.

“Huss, little one. It’s over now.” Sighed Vlad carrying her up the front steps to Mrs Oswald’s. He didn’t go into details what happened with the woman and in a way Danielle was grateful for it. She still hated the man but in that moment it was hard to let go of him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off there is one more story that I'm still working on.  
> Secound I don't kill main characters.  
> Third I don't have time to do the art but I want to.

Sam hated black. Her whole wardrobe was black, purple and green. Sure for a funeral she could wear anything in there, goth fashion was basically made for the occasion. But it didn’t fit her mood. Black was her happy color, she wore it like an armor against the cherry pink her mom and dad always wore.

Sitting on her bed still in her pjs Sam stared in to nothingness. Two weeks earlier she’d been sitting on the bed with Danny as he laughed at her when she tried to pick out something to wear for their date down at Skulk and Lurk.

“Just throw something on Sam, I think you look good in anything.” He’d lain back, winced at the pain in his back from another run in with a ghost then relaxed.

Rolling her eyes Sam had picked out an artfully shredded skirt and tank top. “I love this combination, but my favorite tights are ripped and I can’t wear the skirt without them.” She tossed the skirt back in and drew out a pair of Kahki pants, eloquently shredded as well.

“Everything you’ve picked out so far is torn or shredded just pick something… It’s cold outside.” Hummed Danny.

“It’s April and I have to keep my spring flowers in the greenhouse or they’ll die.” She’d thrown the clothes in to the wardrobe causing some of the clothes hangers to fall down.

“Is that a pink tutu?” snickered Danny eyeing the thing. Sam had long ago banished that eyesore to the darkest corner of her wardrobe. The clothes hanger falling down had jarred it into the light, together with the silken slippers that went with the outfit.

“Mom forced me to take bale classes when I was six.” Grumbled Sam, snatching a black and purple skater dress from her summer section. It had Halloween themed prints around the hem and she’d never found a time to wear it, it was always too cold around Halloween and to cute in the summer.

“That’s why you wear combat boot’s and stomp around?” Smiled Danny. “You can wear the lace jacket with that dress.” He added.

Picking out the jacket Sam held them both up to see how they fit. “Ha ha, I quit bale when I was eight and started kick boxing instead.” She got up and pulled off her t-shirt, making sure her back was turned to Danny, she felt his eyes on her back.

“Explains why you are so light on your feet’s when running or fighting. Bet you stomped on the other ballerinas toes.” Sam pulled the dress over her head and grinned back at Danny.

“You should ask Paulina, we were in the same class.” That drew a rare laugh from Danny, his eyes sparkling at her. And now he was gone and she was trying to pick out something to wear for his funeral.

There was a light knock on her door which Sam ignored. Her parents would come in regardless if she wanted them to or not. “Sammy?” Said her grandmother, her old voice soft. “Can I come in?”

Laying down on her bed Sam put her back to the door. Saying nothing was as a rule a signal for people to leave her alone. Only her grandma wasn’t the sort of person to listen to the rules, a part of her’s Sam was proud to have inherited. “Sammy dear.” Said the old woman rolling into her room. “What are you doing laying on your bed. We are leaving in ten minutes.”

“I’m not going.” Sniffed Sam, she wanted to go but the thought of being at the funeral where all those people who hardly knew him would be pretending to pay their respect while his family and friends were there was senseless. “It’s stupid. Giving him a funeral now, he died years ago and no one knew, he just kept on living.”

Patting Sam’s ankle the old woman reached into Sam’s wardrobe pulling out a black dress with a layer of lace over it. Sam had planned on altering the dress with some skull jewelry and tears on the hem. Her grandma placed the dress on the bed. “Put that on dear.” She said, rolling over to Sam’s drawers taking out a pair of shredded leggings before she dove into the jewelry box.

Sluggishly Sam sat up and pulled on the dress and leggings. Standing in front of her grandma she let the woman put a studded belt around her hips and some bracelets around her wrists. She sat down to tug on her boots and stopped when she saw the bracelet her grandma had put on her right wrist. It was the Spector Shield Danny had redecorated and given her for Christmas, he’d put in a lot of time getting the details to stick and not fall of when she used it.

Biting her lip Sam tied her boots, her grandma brushed her hair and put it in to her normal ponytail. Before Sam stood up the old woman placed a necklace around her throat, something cold touching her skin. Blinking at her reflectin Sam stared at the amethyst hanging from the black ribbon. A birthday gift from her grandma which she’d worn on her last date with Danny. He’d liked it saying it matched her eyes.

“Oh if he wasn’t dead I would kill him for this.” Hissed Sam shaking her head. “Where’s my make up?” she asked looking around her room for the box of her favorite colors.

“Here you go.” Said her grandma, handing her the makeup box. “You sure you want to put this on, it will start running.” She warned.

“It’s water prof and I can hide my face behind it.” She set to work on her face adding soft shadows with contrasting colors her grandma sitting beside her all the while, watching the puffy red eyes disappeared and a neutral façade be built in front of her.

When she was finished the two walked downstairs, her mom was in the hall dressed in black. Funerals were the only time her mom got in to black. The woman eyed Sam’s get up. Setting her jaw Sam was bracing herself for her mother’s criticism, remarking on the belt, bracelets, boots or the dark make up.

Stepping closer Pamela brushed Sam’s hair behind her ears and smiled. “You ready?” she asked hand on Sam’s cheek.

Gulping Sam followed her mom out to the modest car in their garage. The driver opened the back door for them and the two women climbed in. Looking out the window Sam saw her grandma in the open door drying her eyes.

Reaching the church Sam was surprised to see that there wasn’t that many cars parked beside it. She and her mother got out of the car and walked up the stairs to the church. Inside she could hear the soft murmurs of people. There was only a few people at the front of the church hall.

Tucker was there with his parents talking to Valeri and her dad. Dash was standing off to the side with his mom, looking really modest wearing a black suit jacket instead of his stupid football jacket. Valeri looked up as Sam walked up to them and tried to smile. “Hi Sam.” She said her voice weak.

“Hi.” Greeted Sam, she waved at Tucker who blinked at her returning the wave. The Fenton’s had yet to arrive and Sam wondered how they were doing. She wasn’t very talkative or interested in anything anymore, her mom had tried to get her involved in an animal rights project and she hadn’t even found the energy to correct her when she got something wrong.

Tucker was much the same, he hadn’t been online since the last battle or answered any texts she’d sent him. Now he couldn’t even lift his head to look at her and kept close to his mom who was doing most of the talking.

Only Valeri had answered when Sam texted her asking if she wanted a hand fighting ghosts. Valeri had said no and Sam had watched her go after ghost with the same killer instinct as she’d had before learning about their humanity.

The door to the church opened once more. Turning around Sam saw a short girl limp up to them. Danielle was alone, wearing a pair of dark jeans and black hoodie, her raven hair looked dirty and unkempt. She stopped a bit away from them all, her head held low.

“Hi Danielle.” Said Valeri, in the same tone as she’d greeted Sam. The little girl hunched her shoulders digging her hands deeper into her pockets.

“Come here you.” Said Pamela, surprising them all by placing a hand on the girls back pushing her forward to stand in the circle of friends. Opening her bag Pamela pulled out a comb. She didn’t say anything as she combed out Danielle’s hair.

“That will help, combing her hair out.” Huffed Angela Foley, walking up to Danielle gently raising her head. The girls eyes were swollen and tear streaks marked her face. “Here let’s whip those tears of.” She cooed, taking out a handkerchief from her purse she gently whipped the girls face.

As the two women worked on Danielle Sam saw her start shaking and hunch her shoulders again drawing back from all the love and care she was being given. “Stop it you two.” Hissed Sam, pushing the two’s hands away from the girl.

Wrapping an arm around Danielle’s shoulder Sam pulled her out of the women’s reach before letting go of her. She didn’t say anything more and just kept herself between the others and Danielle. The funeral was about to start when Danielle’s cold hand snuck into Sam’s holding on tightly. “This is unreal.” She whispered, joining Sam at the bench.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next one will hopefully tie off all the lose ends I’ve been creating. I hope you’ve hated the characters death as much as I hated writing it. Anyhow keep an eye out for the big twist this story is basically a cliffhanger anyways and the tags and archive warnings should give you a hint.


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